


6/4 Time: You'll See A Better Day

by Jerge



Series: Everything's Better In The Hole [1]
Category: Dorohedoro
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Relationships, M/M, Minor Relationships, Post-Canon, Slice of Life, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:01:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 36,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23198998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jerge/pseuds/Jerge
Summary: "My saliva is extremely toxic. Even a little will do serious harm at best… kill, at worst,"And Kaiman sees him for the first time; truly sees him. Dokuga, always with his bag full of everything he could ever need. Dokuga, using his own chopsticks at the Hungry Bug. Dokuga, who always turns away when everyone laughs together. Dokuga, the man wearing the mask now."So that's why you're such a stick in the mud," it comes out without much thought and Dokuga prickles like a startled cat.He watches him with guarded eyes but it melts after a hot moment and he lets out a small huff that Kaiman swears is a laugh, "I guess so, huh?"[Various drabbles set post-series involving growing, accepting, moving on, and maybe falling in love. Life is hard but it's better with friends.]
Relationships: (past) Dokuga/Kai, (unrequited) Tetsujo/Dokuga, Dokuga/Kaiman, Thirteen/Tetsujo
Series: Everything's Better In The Hole [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1745674
Comments: 29
Kudos: 79





	1. Chapter 1

You're not a monster, just a human  
And you made a few mistakes  
It's alright, it's okay, it's alright, it's okay  
You're not gruesome, just human  
And you made a few mistakes  
It's alright

You're not a demon, there's a reason  
You behaved in that way  
It's alright, it's okay, it's alright, it's okay  
And I believe, yes I believe that you  
Will see a better day  
It's alright

#  Part One 

#### 1.

**Dokuga** remembers.

It's been six months in the Hole and their lives are finally starting to settle down. A lot of begging, fighting, struggling, and loathing… and caring for each other before the man who maybe ruined their lives and maybe saved everything stumbles upon them and brings them back from the edge. A single item, a single miracle: a bottle of healing smoke.

Before Dokuga knows it, things improve. They improve so rapidly that sometimes he fears he's in a dream. Maybe he is dreaming. Maybe he's dead.

He tries not to dwell on those thoughts.

Tetsujo and Dokuga struggle to make money but with all limbs and all eyes functioning, it comes easier. Less begging and subjecting themselves to harsh treatment to make enough for a meal. Now they have the ability to work and Dokuga gets straight to it.

Tetsujo doesn't bring it up but Dokuga knows that the man from the En family helps them. He gives them yen, how he finds it Dokuga pretends to not care, and they get their first apartment in the Hole. It's small and cramped and Dokuga still insists on sleeping in the bathroom for Tetsujo's safety. It's safe and warm and there's walls around them instead of the harsh cracked asphalt they called a bed before. They're comfortable, or as comfortable as a sorcerer can be within the Hole.

It's a part of the city that doesn't ask questions nor do they answer many of them either. It comes as a surprise that the Hole is safer than the sorcerer's world ever was to them but that doesn't mean much. Humans approach things differently than sorcerers do and Dokuga finds himself perplexed by the fighting that stops before the killing starts.

There's a lot to learn in the Hole.

It's harder to live without their companions, even Dokuga can admit that. Death has always been a part of their lives, however, and Dokuga has long ago been forced to accept that.

He picks up a job with the postal service and that sets things in motion. Life becomes comfortable, simple.

As things start to grow on him-- the way the sun sometimes peeks from the overcast skies and warms the entire city, the smells of the restaurants as the lunch rush starts and the streets fill with hungry people, the mindlessness of the winding roads and the towering buildings-- there's one thing that still sets Dokuga on edge.

Kaiman.

Tetsujo starts to work at the Hungry Bug and it sets Dokuga even further on edge. He doesn't say anything when Tetsujo brings it up that they asked him to work there and he doesn't protest the next time Tetsujo mentions that he's been hired. Instead, he keeps it to himself, for he protests for the wrong reasons.

It's all Kaiman. He refuses to admit it but it's because of the boss that he avoids him as he does. He can sense him in the lizard-faced man. Every time he's near the damned restaurant he can feel the presence of their dead boss and it reminds him of how much he still misses him and how much Tetsujo has come to hate the dead man.

He doesn't admit it out loud but he sometimes thinks that a part of him fears the pain that Kaiman will inflict upon him for not doing more for Kai, the Cross-Eye boss. Sometimes he wonders if he's even afraid of the pain or if he's afraid if he'll like it instead, much like he did before.

He doesn't admit it out loud but he thinks that maybe he's jealous that Tetsujo can see Kaiman every day. Despite his hatred of the boss and what he did, he claims Kaiman isn't that man. Dokuga knows better. After everything he's been through, he'll never question his gut again. His intuition tells him that Kai is still in there, somewhere, and he believes it.

And it terrifies him.

There's a part of the equation, too, that he may be able to say out loud but decides against. He worries that Kaiman will take Tetsujo away from him; his last remaining family, his best friend, his rock. The man who keeps him steady and carries him when he can't walk. Kaiman took everything from them and he'll take Tetsujo away too, if he's allowed.

But Dokuga also knows that Tetsujo is a competent man. Far better off than Ton ever was. Tetsujo has a good head on his shoulders and as much as it hurts to admit, it isn't right of Dokuga to doubt him as he does.

So maybe he's a little stuck in the past. He's just trying to stay safe. At least, that's what he claims.

Dokuga drops Tetsujo off at the Hungry Bug on the way to work, waving him off, and he can feel Kaiman inside. His chest feels heavy with doubt as he turns away and lets his friend live his life as he sees fit.

He misses Kai, as disgusting as it makes him feel, and Kaiman makes the longing worse.

#### 2.

**Tetsujo** feels himself falling. Saji and Ushishimada drift away above him like bodies in water, bloated and their horrid faces frozen in terror. He reaches for them, he really tries, but the harder he struggles against the pull the faster their expressions fade into the nothingness above them. He watches as Saji's eyes become white dots, fading away until nothing remains before him.

He continues to fall; how he knows is a mystery as the entire world is black and murky with smoke and pollution. He's invisible, intangible, and lost as he makes his descent.

A hand grabs his shoulder and he whirls, spinning around to see Ton behind him, staring him down. His face is caked with blood, ear shredded, body decimated. Tetsujo instinctively pulls away, mouth growing sour, and he grimaces violently.

Ton grabs his face and forces him to stay, to look, saying words that Tetsujo can't hear over the gurgling of blood. He keeps spewing, wordless reminders, horrors and pain, and Tetsujo's whole body tightens as he fights to get away.

Hands grab at him from all around, cross-eyed faces looking at him in agony, crying their voiceless words, drowned out by blood and smoke and mud.

He thrashes away and watches them get thrown. They all drift away from him into nothingness, Ton's torso the last to leave his sight.

He's alone. Invisible, intangible, lost.

And then, with a jerk, he's awake.

Gasping, gripping at his sheets, he throws the covers off him like they're about to smother him. He lays for a moment, still as stone, blood pumping through his ears as he listens for danger he can't see. After a stomach achingly long moment he breathes again and settles.

A nightmare, he realizes.

They aren't entirely new to him. His time in the Hole has felt like a fever dream for quite a while, but it hasn't always been like this. His time with Dokuga has been marked with stress and turmoil all their lives, yes, and their time together struggling in the Hole was harsh. But he's never had nightmares while there; perhaps too exhausted to even dream, sleep rare, dreams even more so. He knows that they're safe, with jobs and money, warm beds and a fridge full enough to keep them fed… yet his nights are absolutely plagued. 

It's just not right.

Dokuga and Tetsujo… they're safe. They even have a small network of friends to help them, a far cry from their life not even four months ago. He's comfortable. Maybe even happy.

So why is he tormented every night?

Fujita has kept in contact and, despite it all, Tetsujo has actually found that he likes the younger sorcerer. He is strange at times and has a chip on his shoulder but Tetsujo can say the same for himself. Fujita, despite being a member of En's family, isn't exactly the most powerful sorcerer and that's what comforts Tetsujo the most. They are like brothers in that regard; seen as lesser than their fellow man. If things had been different, maybe Fujita would have been a Cross-Eye too.

Fujita had found them a month after Dokuga had been fully healed and had helped them with some starting funds. He's been kind to them and Tetsujo realizes that it's not just an outlier, his actions, but a part of his nature. He nurtures and protects those he cares about. And perhaps he really does care for Tetsujo, in his own way.

He isn't sure if Dokuga is aware of the help but Dokuga doesn't bring it up so Tetsujo leaves it be.

They're safe, he reminds himself.

He sits up, head foggy and aching, and he throws his feet to the side and off the bed; ready to get up and start the day.

He's working at the Hungry Bug now, alongside the man with the body of his tormentor and the head of a beast. He's okay; as hungry and quick tempered as the boss but also lackadaisical, in a way. He's happy to sweep the floors and eat gyoza all day, as long as it's Nikaido making them.

Nikaido is… he's not sure yet. Very relaxed until she gets into something with this manic fervor that blows Tetsujo off his feet. She's kind to him and understanding, respectful of the way Dokuga drops him off across the street and not the door, and she's good at holding conversation when they're alone. She's nice, when he boils down to it, and he likes her quite a lot. She has her secrets and he has his and that's just fine between them.

Then there are the regulars who stop into the Hungry Bug: Thirteen and Vaux and a boy-doctor named Kasukabe. He has no concrete opinion on the three other than that they seem nice enough, even with the doctor making him uneasy at times. Thirteen is interesting in that he has body mods and Vaux is a good conversation when Tetsujo comes over to bus their plates, but he can't say much more of them. Not yet.

Tetsujo can't say things are bad. In fact, he thinks that maybe things are going much better than he could ever have dreamed. He doesn't say it, not now, because he knows that the pendulum always, eventually, drops. Things will always come and ruin things in his life, as they always have.

He walks through the apartment, bare feet padding softly against the wooden floors. He opens the door to the bathroom and peers inside, checking to see if Dokuga is still asleep.

He's not, but he is in there scrubbing the bathtub vigorously. Tetsujo tells him every time it's not necessary, that his poison isn't that toxic nor is he much of a sleep drooler. But Dokuga is nothing if not thorough. So he scrubs the tub every morning before Tetsujo showers.

"Hey," he mumbles and stumbles inside, taking a seat on the toilet.

"Hey," he replies, not turning to look. He scrubs. "I heard you wake up."

"Oh. Sorry," Tetsujo scratches the nape of his neck, feeling the long hairs that he's neglected to trim. He hates that he has so much trouble getting a handle on this and that it affects Dokuga as well. The man is having a hard time already and the idea of adding to his stress makes Tetsujo's stomach hurt.

"Don't be sorry," he scrubs, "Nightmares are nightmares, not your fault."

He nods, crossing a leg over the other, bouncing his knee gently.

"I've been having them too," scrubbing, "What happened in it?"

He hums, leaning back, "I was falling endlessly. And then I saw Saji and Ushishimada. They were being pulled away from me and I couldn't catch up to them in time, no matter how hard I tried…" a sigh, "I saw Ton too… he looked like," a pause, "Y'know. His body looked like how it was after… what I told you…"

Dokuga is quiet, the only noise between them is the sound of the brush against the tub. He puts it away in a bin and takes a bucket and turns the tap on, filling it with water, "I'm sorry I couldn't help," he says, finally, before splashing the water along the bleached areas, rinsing it clean.

"Don't be," is Tetsujo's turn to say, "There's nothing we could do and nothing you could have done in the moment either. He was…" he notices Dokuga has gone still, too still, and he decides to drop it. He's seen the worst of the boss, especially on that day, and he can't bring himself to blame Dokuga for not understanding it yet. He knows better than anyone that a person can only believe so much before their brains start to reject it.

And he knows how Dokuga felt for the man. Maybe still does. He does not envy the pain he's been wading his way through.

"I miss them," he continues instead.

"I miss them too," his voice is small but clear and he finally turns to look at Tetsujo, looking at him from behind his long bangs. It's been a while since they've gotten their hair cut.

Tetsujo pauses, admiring his friend, before leaning back against the toilet again, stretching his arms above his head. "By the way, can I use the shower now? I'll be late if I wait any longer."

#### 3.

**Nikaido** strolls through the public market, Kaiman a yard ahead. She's already picked two nice pigs to take back with her while Kaiman helps find some fresh veggies and spices. All she really needs now is some garlic and soy sauce.

She shifts the staff the pigs hang from and watches as Kaiman hurries into a booth.

She follows him, curious to see what's caught his attention so intently, and as she goes a man in a mobilized chair drives by. It's Mister Coleman.

Her lips tighten and she finds Kaiman face-first in a pile of freshly cut flowers. She taps his shoulder and he turns to her, looking bashful.

"These are for you!" he claims, grabbing blindly at the wall of flowers behind him. He pulls a bouquet out from the many pots that line the wall. It's a bursting group of bright yellow mums, their delicate little petals a little wilted from the manhandling. 

She takes them with a simple smile, looking his face over, "Don't pretend I don't know why you're hiding in here," she plucks a dahlia from besides him and places it on the top of his head like a little bow.

He frowns, jowls drooping. "Okay, fine, I'm avoiding him. I'm not in the mood to talk about it, okay?"

She watches him for a moment before turning. She flicks some coins at the shopkeep and takes the bouquet with her. They'll make a nice display on her counter.

Kaiman follows her out, peering quickly back and forth before they both continue their way down the bustling street. She makes him carry the flowers, along with his basket of their other goods, and she balances the bar with the pigs against her shoulders.

She wants to drill in him that this isn't going to get him anywhere, this thing of ignoring his grandfather. She's learned her lesson in avoiding things like that. But it does make her think about how hard it had been for her to face things with Yakumo, her powers, and how things had gone wrong.

She understands the desire to avoid discussing it. She knows better than him in these matters too but she holds her tongue. Kaiman doesn't need her to tell him that.

As they walk, comfortable and quiet, enjoying the sights and sounds and smells around them, she thinks about Yakumo. Things had turned out well for her and her luck had saved her from yet another horrible end by Nikaido's means. She's glad that Yakumo is alive and living the life she deserves, even if it means they can't be sisters anymore.

Nikaido frowns at that. Kaiman notices but doesn't say anything, instead motioning for her to look at a booth.

As she picks through the eggs, setting ones she wants into a provided carton, she thinks about the woman that will never know her. The woman who taught her how to defend herself. The one who would comfort her after nightmares and the one who loved her like family.

She wonders if Yakumo is living as happily as she deserves to. Nikaido has messed with a lot of stuff in the past and while she's glad to have fixed some things, gotten others to work out in the end, she wonders how much she's ruined that she can't see.

It doesn't haunt her like it did before but it does sit on her shoulder and she wonders when it'll ever go away. She can't do anything to change things now, fix things that she broke, so what was the point of carrying it with her?

She watches Kaiman grin at her from over his shoulder, turning to show her a disproportionately large head of cabbage. She laughs as he balances it on his snout, like a seal with a ball. Nikaido snatches it from him with a leap, spinning it on the top of her finger. She grabs it and places it in Kaiman's basket, absolutely dwarfing everything else inside.

He ruffles her hair as she jabs him playfully in the ribs. After paying they move along, making their way to the end of the street of vendors. They walk side-by-side and she glances up at him, admiring him for a moment. 

He's a wonderful friend and probably the strongest person she knows. He's gone through so much and, upon reflection, she thinks that maybe she's been a little harsh to him about avoiding his grandfather. She's been avoiding things too, for much the same reason. The sorcerer's world, just like she had before, is something she just can't bear to be in, even if her loved ones still reside there.

She can't bear the idea of seeing Yakumo again and have her look like a stranger. She's been so incredibly lucky to find Kawajiri again and have them bond similarly to how they had when they were siblings… but a part of her still laments the time she knows that he never will.

Maybe someday she can tell him about those little moments before her magic ruined things. She knows he'd happily listen and take it in but the idea leaves her feeling guilty. This was all for her, not for him. It isn't necessary. 

Maybe, she thinks, she could go visit the sorcerer's world and just see how Yakumo is doing… No. No, Yakumo is living her life now, as her own entity outside Nikaido's own. It isn't her place to interfere anymore. It's all for her, not for Yakumo.

Nikaido sighs and Kaiman notices, giving her a small side hug.

"Let's go make some gyoza."

#### 4.

**Kaiman** prickles as he watches Dokuga look quickly away from him, caught watching. It's a rare moment that the man steps into the Hungry Bug; even rarer for him to stay for a meal. But what isn't rare is the looks that Dokuga gives him.

From the first time they had seen each other since the defeat of Holey, to the moments of him watching the shop from across the street, to now, him sitting at the counter with a play of gyoza in front of him; it's that same look-- wide eyes, almost terrified, reverent, curious, cautious, uneasy, and obvious.

It doesn't need to be said to be known, he just knows: Dokuga thinks he's Kai.

Kaiman wants to snap at him but he sees Nikaido giving him the stink eye so he stomps into the back of the kitchen, pointedly ignoring the way Dokuga watches him when he doesn't think he's looking. He goes back to cleaning, getting ready for the lunch rush, but he keeps an eye on Dokuga as he carefully and thoughtfully eats his gyoza.

That guy doesn't even look like he's enjoying them! Face flat and almost sad. That really pisses him off. Of all things, to disrespect Nikaido's food!

Dokuga finishes, standing from his seat, "Thanks for the food."

"Cool, let's head out," Tetsujo says, hanging his apron up on the peg by the break room. "I'll see you tomorrow, boss!"

Dokuga twitches, Kaiman doesn't comment.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Tetsujo," Nikaido replies with a smile, sweet as sugar, and the two Cross-Eyes leave.

Without a moment of hesitation Kaiman strikes, slapping his hand against the edge of the grill, "Did you see that?!"

Nikaido angles an eyebrow, "See what?"

"That! The way he was looking at me!" Kaiman motions to his plate.

"You're overthinking things," she replies, stepping over and taking his plate, heading over to do dishes before the rush. Dokuga has always insisted on using his own chopsticks to eat with which Kaiman finds downright insulting. What was his deal? Does Dokuga really think he's that much better than them? Too good for their utensils?

Maybe he was overthinking things. But Kaiman knows. Dokuga has just as much issue with him as he does Dokuga. It actually really bothers him.

He isn't the man that he thinks he is.

"It just pisses me off that he's gotta look at me like that," he replies, finally. He joins her at the sink and they work on the dishes.

"You keep saying, 'like that.' What exactly is he doing that's bothering you so much?"

He sighs, throwing his wet hands into the air, covering them in soapy water drops, "Don't be like that Nikaido! You know what I mean. He keeps looking at me like I'm gonna snap his neck any second!"

"In his defense," she says, smiling at him, "You do kinda look at him like you're gonna snap his neck."

"No I don't," he shoves his hands back into the water and scrubs at the wok that is soaking inside, "I mean… you know, he thinks I'm the Cross-Eyes' boss still. Like I'm just pretending to be me or something."

She turns to him incredulously, "And he told you this?"

A pause, "Well, no… but I can just tell. He's got an issue with me."

Nikaido works thoughtfully, rinsing the wok he hands her and then the forks he finishes soon after. She hangs them up to dry and turns to him, patting her wet hands on his arm. He's about to snap at her to not do that but the look on her face makes him pause.

She looks serious, with a hard line in the middle of her forehead. "To me it sounds like you're the one with an issue with him."

He can't even bring himself to reply because he knows it's true, even if he hates to admit it.

"What is it about that guy that makes you so on edge about him not liking you? You've never cared about that in the past."

"You don't get it, Nikaido…" he sighs wearily, lifting his head back to stare at the ceiling, "There's so many people in my life and outside my life who see me completely differently than who I actually am. Risu sees me as Aikawa, Doctor Kasukabe sees me as Ai, Dokuga sees me as Kai."

He looks down at her, "You're the only one who knows about all them and still sees me as who I am: Kaiman. That's who I'll always be."

Her face turns tender. "So you don't feel anything from those other people?

"What do you mean?"

"Like, no memories of the times they spent with your alter egos? No feelings that linger from those relationships?"

He hums, "I do feel them sometimes but they feel alien to me, like an attachment that I have no emotional connection to. I look at Risu and I sometimes feel close to him. We were partners at one point. But that wasn't really me either. It's hard to explain."

"And Dokuga? Do you get anything like that with him?"

He does, he knows he does, but he refuses to respond. He wipes his hands down and goes to the walk-in cooler to get things organized. It'll be busy soon. He should probably turn on the TV too, some background noise.

She follows him, hands on her hips, and before he can hide himself away too much, she corners him. Damn her. "You don't have to reply but just think about this, for me, okay? If you have things you need to work through then so does he. So give him some time, okay? He seems to be doing that for you."

Kaiman frowns before sighing through his nose, "Alright, fine."

"Good," Nikaido smiles.


	2. Chapter 2

# Bonus Curse

 **Dokuga** 's day starts early.

He stirs, his face sticky from the drool that's accumulated onto his pillow. He rolls over, nestled deep inside the bathtub, and sits for a long moment, waiting for his brain to catch up.

There's no sunlight peeking through the tiny window of their bathroom but he knows that will change soon. Slowly, he gets up and gets to work.

Dokuga showers quickly before he starts to scrub out the bathtub, making sure to get everywhere he can reach and then some: just to make sure that none of his saliva is remaining. After he bleaches, he rinses the tub once more, and double checks that his blanket and pillow are put away in their hamper. His private hamper.

Dokuga has learned, long ago, that he could never be too careful. Never too prepared.

He prepares breakfast after that-- just something simple, like some toast or a cup of coffee. He makes sure that his things are separate from Tetsujo's, that he doesn't use Tetsujo's accidentally, or anything that could taint Tetsujo's food. Around this time, his roommate wakes up and Dokuga hears him get into the shower.

It's strange living with just one person now instead of it being the five of them. After Dokuga had gotten away from his slaver, he had joined up with their crew and they had been inseparable since. Until, well...

And now it's just Tetsujo and him. Which is fine, he thinks. Because life with a lot of people is straining for Dokuga, he rationalizes. And there is no way of bringing them back so it isn't worth the heartache to linger over it, he tries hard to feel but fails at doing so.

He misses them dearly.

But instead of ruminating, Dokuga gets up and calls for Tetsujo, giving his good-bye for the morning. He heads out into the Hole, ready to start his day.

Dokuga hurries into the post office, his new job, and clocks in. It's a lot of work to deliver all the mail within his district but after the time he's spent doing odd jobs, Dokuga can't say he minds. In fact, after a few months of delivering mail, he finds himself almost enjoying the process. 

He's dropped off to his district with a large cart and organizes block per block, setting a bundle into his satchel and going from building to building. He climbs a lot of stairs these days. It's nice because, after not being able to walk correctly for half a year, his muscle mass had drastically lowered. It's nice to be getting back into shape.

By midday he's gotten done with his route and goes back to the office where he clocks out for lunch. He'll have to come back in a half an hour to help with organization for the next day but for now he heads to the Hungry Bug to visit Tetsujo.

They chat as much as they can but lunchtime at the Hungry Bug is always busy and Tetsujo has to get back to taking orders and bussing. Dokuga orders a meal despite his taste buds not allowing him to enjoy it and watches the team work.

Nikaido is in the kitchen, energetically preparing her food. Kaiman is beside her, working as a sous chef but he notices within a few minutes how little actual cooking he does. Tetsujo bounces from table to table, talking to the customers with that personal charm he always had that Dokuga didn't. He thinks, as he watches the trio, that despite how he feels about them, he's happy that Tetsujo is in a good place.

He thinks about himself and where he's at and feels a strange sort of ache in his chest.

Dokuga pays and leaves, waving his best friend goodbye, and heads back to work.

His day at work concludes and he immediately heads out to his evening classes. The life one leads in the sorcerer's world when unable to produce smoke tends to end in several ways: you're taken as slave labor, working for sorcerers much more powerful than you. Or, you're killed. Or, you're relegated to a life of deceit, always lying and excusing yourself in front of people eager to prove themselves superior.

In Dokuga's case, he wasn't able to get a normal childhood. Nor was he allowed the privilege of learning anything past simple life skills. He can read but not well and writing has never come easily to him.

So: afternoon classes.

He's always been a pretty fast learner. It's hard work but with time he feels more confident in his ability to learn and it becomes less of an impossible task and more like a nearby future.

Tetsujo also takes classes but he takes the set after Dokuga's. They often see each other, one leaving and the other arriving, and Dokuga always feels good to see his friend trying to improve his life as much as Dokuga tries. They're growing the best they can.

After his class, Dokuga decides to head to the market before they close. He picks up groceries and, on a whim, grabs a bouquet as well. He doesn't know what compels him but he does, a large bushel of dark red roses with striped carnations and baby's breath. He thinks about when he gets home he'll put them on their small kitchen table in the clay vase Tetsujo found near the recycling center.

Dokuga smells them, the cloth bag filled with small groceries balanced on his opposite arm, and he thinks about Saji, Ushishimada, and Ton. They had been friends since they were children, far too young to be alone like they had been. He thinks about Saji's sewing skills, Ton's keen eye for counterfeits, and Ushishimada's brash but thoughtful nature. He thinks about the cruelty of the world, to take them from him and how he wasn't able to do anything to help stop it.

Dokuga feels stupid. He feels foolish. He feels useless. He should have done more.

But… he couldn't. And there's nothing for him to do now. So he tucks the flowers under his arm and moves on. If they had graves he would put the bouquet there, but the recycled clay vase on the kitchen table will have to due.


	3. Chapter 3

# Part Two

#### 1.

**Dokuga** stands outside the clinic, a large banner running across the entrance that announces that they're taking regular patients as well as magic victims. He's hesitant to go inside but finally he feels the courage to go and proceeds.

A man he regularly sees at the Hungry Bug instantly spots him and groans, annoyed at him? Dokuga's about to head out, not in the mood to step on any toes today, when the man motions for him. He bypasses the secretary, who watches him curiously, and follows the man into the halls of the hospital.

"You're a part of Kaiman's group of sorcerer friends, aren't you?" he asks bluntly.

Dokuga tightens his lips into a line before replying, "Not quite, but close."

"Are you a sorcerer then?" 

"I am. But I can't produce smoke." A bitter fact. The root of all his troubles.

The doctor seems surprised before he shakes his head, "You realize I specialize in magic victims, don't you?"

He makes a noise of confirmation then a nod of the head, "That's why I'm here, actually."

He quirks a brow, creases in his face lost in his tattoos. "Full of surprises, aren't you?"

"I try not to be."

"So sorcerers can be victims of magic as well. I suppose it makes sense," he crosses his arms with a nod of his own, "Well, what's the issue? Besides those eyes of yours I can't say I see anything life threatening."

"It is life threatening, but not to me. A person in my past made it so that my saliva is toxic. Even the slightest bit can harm someone, if not outright kill them."

"Seems simple to me then, you just have to kill the sorcerer. That's how it works, isn't it?"

Dokuga grows grim, "I did kill him."

"Ah… well… if you give me a moment I'll contact a friend who may be able to help you more than I can."

Dokuga's heart hammers in his chest. "What's your name, doctor?"

He turns, giving a tired smile, "Call me Vaux."

\---

It takes no time at all for this friend to arrive.

Dokuga doesn't know what to feel when he sees him. Short, probably five foot, baby young face, strange tattoos, and even stranger personality.

He introduces himself as Professor Kasukabe, "Don't mind the appearance, I'm actually in my sixties!" he says with a smile.

Dokuga shakes his hand and they stow away in an exam room, small, cramped, stuffed with supplies that no one could find space for in a storage closet. He takes a seat on the exam table, leaning against the stack of paperwork that rests by the head, and explains to the strange little doctor his affliction.

Kasukabe hums thoughtfully, tapping his chin, "And he turned your saliva poisonous?"

He nods.

"And killing him didn't remove the effects of his magic?" Kasukabe stands from his stool and pokes at Dokuga's cheek, "Open," he demands but it's in a light, cheerful voice that makes Dokuga's teeth itch. Dokuga hesitates however, unsure if he should listen to him. He relents when Kasukabe pulls on a pair of long surgical gloves with a snap and motions for him to open again.

With an embarrassed look, he sits up a little straighter and opens his mouth.

Kasukabe pulls a small jar from the shelf beside them and pulls out a tongue depressor, using it to examine the back of Dokuga's throat. He checks his teeth, his tongue, even his cheeks, before he stands back. He gives Dokuga a thoughtful look before he lifts a finger at him and excuses himself from the room.

He returns in a flash with a small potted plant and looks at Dokuga with absolute delight. He sets it down on the exam table and excitedly points at a wilting leaf, "See this?" He doesn't wait for Dokuga to reply, "I touched it with the gloves I used to exam you... how fascinating!" 

Dokuga has nothing to say. These are facts of life. Just his life.

"I want to see what direct contact will do. Please, either lick or spit on a leaf for me?" Kasukabe watches him with keen eyes, leaning almost eagerly, almost like he was trying to get the best view for the show.

Dokuga feels almost humiliated at the thought of directly licking or spitting on a plant, so instead he licks the tip of his finger and touches one of the delicate green leaves of the plant. The effects are almost instant. The leaf starts to wilt, shriveling up and turning brown. It spreads a little slower, the other leaves starting to wilt in a radius around the originator.

Kasukabe absolutely glows with excitement, pulling a clipboard off the desk and jotting notes down. Dokuga can't see what he writes, but he assumes it's important to figure out how to cure him.

"You know what's fascinating about your poison? Venom?" He hums, slipping the gloves off, he tosses them in the toxic waste bin, "Since it didn't vanish with the magical source being eliminated, I'm certain that a chemical property has been changed outside the influence of magic. Typically, I would consider this to be venom as it's originating from secretions… but venom doesn't affect plant-life, which was an interesting litmus test. So I believe it's safe to say it is something similar to a poison… I wonder what's in your saliva that causes such trouble... Heavy metals maybe? Cyanide?" He taps his chin, "What's interesting as well is that it doesn't harm you at all. Maybe your body is used to it?"

Dokuga finds himself growing irritated with Kasukabe. He sits and bears with it the best he can: him apparently being his only hope for a normal sort of life.

"Tell me more about how it works." Kasukabe sits on his stool and takes his clipboard out.

Dokuga thinks on that. "It will kill anyone who ingests it. It irritates the skin and eyes if a very small amount gets on it but it'll kill them too if it's much more."

"What about when he first changed you? Did you experience any symptoms?"

Dokuga pauses. He hasn't thought back to that time in quite a while. He can't recall feeling any differently than he always had: he had been perpetually sick, hungry, tired, and abused. A little more pain was nothing to him back then.

He answers truthfully with, "I'm not sure. I don't think so."

Kasukabe nods, "Well, allow me to take some samples and I'll figure it out," he grins. The confidence in his voice instills a sense of hope in Dokuga. As off as he seems, Dokuga can't argue that he is much smarter than Dokuga will ever be.

He spits into various cups and Kasukabe stores them away diligently.

Before Dokuga can leave, he pulls him to the side of the hall and hands him a flat box. "For now, if you find yourself wanting to let go, wear these."

Kasukabe gives him a large, crooked smile before he lets him go.

Dokuga peers at the box before opening it, seeing inside is a set of medical masks. He tucks the box carefully into his jacket pocket and heads out.

\---

It takes a week for Kasukabe to get back to him, which is lightning speed compared to what Dokuga assumes it'll be. He finds the man at their door one morning, bright and early, and in his hands is a small crate with various bottles lined up.

"Oh, glad this actually was your place, I was worried I was told the wrong information!" Kasukabe smiles.

Dokuga doesn't welcome him in but Kasukabe doesn't push either. Instead, he lifts the crate and hands it to him, beaming, "These are antidotes I made. I hope you don't mind that I recreated your poison on my own to make these. It's actually pretty strange, what your saliva is chemically composed of. Anyway, if someone gets infected, you can just give them this and it should neutralize the poison in their system. Your saliva is pretty fast acting so maybe keep one on you."

He stares at the doctor before looking down at the small bottles lined in the crate. There has to be at least twenty-five small flasks inside.

"Oh, and if you want, if you ingest some before doing any mouth related activities. It should neutralize whatever poison is in there but it'll fade away the faster you salivate, so keep that in mind. I'd say it probably lasts about two to three minutes. Have fun," he grins at this before pulling a pack of cigarettes from his coat pocket. He pulls one out and starts to smoke. "I'll be seeing you, Dokuga."

"Good-bye, Doctor Kasukabe," he speaks in almost a haze as he closes the door. He sets the crate on the floor in the hall before he takes a seat beside it. He pulls one of the flasks out and examines it, looking at the yellowish liquid that moves thickly through the tube.

He pops it open and smells it, recoiling at the stench, before he places the cork back on and places it back into the bin. He leans back, resting his head against the wall, and tries to calculate the risk of it being poison set to kill him.

Dokuga decides the risk is rather low. Just from what he can tell of the doctor, he doesn't think he'd waste the time to kill him like that. He doesn't know what to feel however, as he looks at them. This is a game changer, something totally new to him.

He thinks about using it to eat lunch, to see if the antidote lessons the effects of his poison on his sense of taste. He decides against it.

Dokuga stands and takes the crate with him. He slips it in with his belongings in the bathroom but diligently places one inside his knapsack. He could never be too prepared.

#### 2.

**Tetsujo** finds that life brings him strange circumstances anytime things seem to settle down. Not always bad, though rarely ever good, but all of them are strange nonetheless.

He finds himself seeing someone. He hadn't thought of seeing anyone but when Thirteen asks him to go out for drinks… well, he gives him a shot and goes.

Three weeks later and they officially start dating.

"Dokuga," he calls across the apartment, from the front door to where Dokuga stands in the kitchen, "Last chance! You wanna come with Thirteen, Risu, Fujita, and I?"

He peeks his head out the doorway and shakes his head no, "You go ahead," his face is somber, almost sad, and Tetsujo feels himself sigh without meaning to.

"Alright! I'll see you tonight!" He pushes forward, heading out of the apartment with a quickness to his step. Risu and Fujita are visiting from the sorcerer's world and Tetsujo is surprised to find himself actually excited to see them again.

Fujita is a good guy and Risu is… entertaining, especially as his devil training progresses. He's excited to go out and enjoy some quality time with someone besides Nikaido and Kaiman. He would have said it was nice to spend time with someone other than Dokuga as well but he knows that's not true.

He loves Dokuga and wants him to have new friends just like he has.

But instead he keeps to himself, much as he always has, and Tetsujo sighs again.

He catches up with Thirteen on the street a block away from the apartment and they walk together towards the small bar where they had all agreed to meet. Thirteen has a relaxed energy to him that soothes Tetsujo at times, sort of like how Dokuga's solid, quiet energy keeps him grounded even through the hardest of times. He's goofy, cracking jokes here and there which is a nice change in environment from Nikaido's typically professional but sweet attitude and Dokuga's somber demeanor. 

"How have you been?" He asks and Thirteen slouches back, giving him a loose shrug.

"Fine, fine, still looking for work. I wish Nikaido would hire me too; Tuesdays and Wednesdays when you're not in are a little understaffed, y'know."

Tetsujo lets out a laugh and shrugs himself, "The Hungry Bug isn't that big, even if it's pretty popular. If we hire too many people we'll have no room for customers!"

Thirteen half shrugs again and reaches for Tetsujo's hand. He makes a small grabbing motion before Tetsujo reaches out and clasps his hand into his own. He smiles, a small and tight one as he tries to hold it back, and they walk down the street in a quiet sort of refrain. 

It happens before he even has a moment to realize what he's doing. A person starts to follow them and the instant they disappear, Tetsujo finds himself on edge. Thirteen even picks up on his energy and walks cautiously beside him. Their hands aren't held anymore as Tetsujo listens for anything strange.

Just as he's about to consider himself paranoid the person jumps them.

Tetsujo fumbles, so unaccustomed to fighting anymore, but picks himself up rapidly when he sees the man target Thirteen. Everything in him burns and he throws his entire weight through his fist, punching the man straight in the neck.

He gags and falls over, gasping for air. 

"Hurry, let's get out of here," Tetsujo warns and grabs Thirteen by the hand. He drags the man along with him until they are several blocks away, hidden off under a small enclave of a closed bodega. He pants hard, resting his hands on his knees. He throws his head up, his bangs getting shaggy.

Thirteen stands next to him, quaking. He looks around them nervously before turning large, pleading eyes over at Tetsujo.

"H-Hey," he panics, stepping up to him. He places his hands on Thirteen's shoulders and rubs them soothingly, "Are you okay?"

Thirteen tries to breath in as deep as he can but Tetsujo can tell he's too worked up to calm down. He rubs his arms and walks him through some deep breathing exercises he learned from Nikaido, taking as long as needed until the man settles.

"I always forget how bad this area can get," he admits, "I've gotten used to this part of the city being calmer now that sorcerers rarely come to the Hole to practice anymore."

Tetsujo feels a pang of guilt and nods, "Yea, I understand. But it's okay, I doubt him or his crew will target us again after what I did to him."

Thirteen looks at him with this face that makes Tetsujo feel so warm and so good. He feels good protecting and being able to do that for Thirteen felt right.

He doesn't have that life anymore, the one that requires him to protect anyone. He finds it unusual, hard to adjust to. He had lost an eye protecting Dokuga and he would lose another to protect anyone else close to him. He feels somewhat guilty at the idea of finding a sense of fulfillment in fighting, a life he thought he was ready to give up, but the truth is the truth.

He pulls Thirteen from their spot and rounds them back the correct way.

\---

"The devil training going okay?" It's Thirteen who asks and the three sorcerers, caught in conversation with one another, look at him with wide eyes.

"Huh?" Risu speaks up, "How do you know about that?"

Tetsujo laughs. "I think the fact that you're sitting here in full armor?"

"I can't take it off yet!" he fumbles before he takes a long sip of his beer.

Fujita laughs before he sips at his own, almost self-consciously so. "And that you also have horns."

Risu prickles but smiles almost an instant afterwards, "You like them?" he reaches up and touches the two wide stumps that have breached through his shaggy hair.

"And that you've eaten that whole bowl of peanuts," Tetsujo adds, "Seems like a devil in training to me."

Thirteen smiles that droopy smile of his and leans against the counter, "Nikaido's been teaching me about you sorcerers."

That catches Tetsujo's attention, "Since when were you interested?"

Thirteen shrugs casually, "Ever since the stuff with the department store and watching that thing attack sorcerers and stuff I've been a little interested I suppose… good for self defense if I understand the enemy, hmm?"

Fujita prickles, Risu watches carefully.

Tetsujo looks at Thirteen and feels like this is the first time he's truly understood him. Thirteen lights a cigarette and blows smoke up to the foggy ceiling and Tetsujo wonders how long he's been smoking. There's so much he doesn't know, Tetsujo realizes.

Thirteen is so unlike Dokuga. So easy to emote, so unable to help himself. 

"Well, hopefully you won't have to worry about that anymore," he finally comments, noticing how tense both Fujita and Risu have become. Despite the lot of them all having some relation to not being accepted by sorcerer society, he knows that Fujita has a lot of value placed on his own self-worth by proudly calling himself a sorcerer. Whereas Risu also places a lot of value in himself now that his magic works in his favor and he's training to become a devil.

He wonders if this is how humans always feel.

"True!" Fujita joins back in, settling, "I doubt that sorcerers will want to mess with humans anymore after what happened…"

Thirteen smiles, "It’s pretty strange to be human and hanging out with sorcerers but… here I am."

Tetsujo smiles as well, taking his beer and holding it out, "Cheers to that!"

#### 3.

**Nikaido** hears the bell at the door ring and looks up from the back of the kitchen. It's Tetsujo's day off and Kaiman has stepped out to unload the shipment in the back. Tuesdays aren't busy so she just deals with it.

She's delighted to see Kawajiri come in. It's been ages since she's seen her brother and she's absolutely ecstatic to see him. However, that excitement dissipates suddenly as another steps into her restaurant.

A tall woman with a sweet round face and long, red hair. She looks confused but tentatively excited, placing a hand on Kawajiri's shoulder. "This place is cute," she tells him before she looks over at Nikaido.

Nikaido can't hold herself back and before she bursts out at the woman in happiness? frustration? sadness? Nikaido hurries into the walk-in cooler, shouting that she'll be right back.

Kaiman is inside, sorting things inside the small cooler. She squeezes herself up against him and sighs deeply. He looks at her with a startled widening of his eyes before he places his hands on her shoulders, holding her back so he can get a better look at her.

"Woah, what's going on?" He asks.

Nikaido sighs, making sure she breathes in the cold air in through her nose before exhaling through her mouth. She does it several times over before she nods and looks up at him.

"Remember when I told you about my past? In relation to my magic?"

Kaiman tilts his head, snout angling out of the way, "Yea?"

"Yakumo is here."

He blinks once, twice, three times before his entire face scrunches up, " _That's_ why you're upset? Aren't you excited to see your sister?"

Nikaido slaps him on the chest. "Of course! But she's my sister in another timeline, not this one!"

He strokes his chin, lips drawn tight, "And you don't want to see her… because? Also, why is she even here in the Hole?"

She waves her arms at him. "I don't know! Kawajiri just showed up with her!"

"Asu?" Kaiman's face turns thoughtful, "And you have no idea why he'd bring her?"

"No!" She replies but settles as Kaiman leads her out of the cooler. He steers her towards the kitchen and they peek from the corner, and both watch Kawajiri and Yakumo chat with each other, carefree.

Yakumo has a wonderful smile, she thinks, as Kawajiri cracks a joke and she grins widely at him. She misses her desperately.

Kawajiri spots her and sneers, pointing her out in an exaggerated motion, "There's my sister, Nikaido!" he motions for her to come over and Nikaido can see that devilish look in his eyes.

She steams for a moment before she pulls her hair back into a ponytail and trots out, all smiles. "Kawajiri!" She greets, wrapping him in a large hug despite the armor he's wearing making it difficult, "Why are you doing this to me?" she whispers into his ear.

"Making it so you stop being a baby, of course," he whispers back, "And because I thought it would be fun.”

She smacks his chest and he coughs harshly. He smiles at her and motions to Yakumo, "And this is my new friend Yakumo!"

She reaches a hand out for a handshake.

Nikaido crosses her arms, smiling sweetly at the woman, "It's wonderful to meet you… Yakumo."

She smiles back and subtly pulls her hand back, "It's nice to meet you, too."

"How did you and Kawajiri meet?" Nikaido tries to keep calm but something inside her is burning. She's absolutely terrified, she realizes, to be talking with Yakumo. She realizes for a second time in a split of a second that she's terrified of ruining her life again and almost asks Kawajiri to take her back to the sorcerer's world so nothing unfortunate happens to her in the Hole. But Nikaido restrains herself, partly because another part of her is relieved to see her and speak with her again, and a third part that knows she can trust Kawajiri, even during his transition back into a devil.

Yakumo looks at him fondly, "It's pretty funny that you mention it. I have magic that allows me to fly, you see, and one day while going into town, a man on a magic carpet appeared beside me! He said that he was interested, once he was done doing his devil training, in training me as well!"

He grins at Nikaido.

"Unfortunately, I don't really want to become a devil. Ah! As flattering as that is!" She adds hastily.

Nikaido's eyebrows stitch together, "You don't want to become a devil?" She doesn't mean to come off rude but any other sorcerer would die for the opportunity to go through the devil exam.

Yakumo shrugs, smiling in an embarrassed fashion, "I guess I never really felt like I should fear death."

Nikaido freezes and Kawajiri smiles even wider.

"That's quite… interesting," she tries to smile, to alleviate the tense awkward air that's developed, but it doesn't help.

Yakumo shifts, looking from Kawajiri, Kaiman, and then back at Nikaido, "So… you're a sorcerer then? What made you start a restaurant in the Hole?"

She doesn't know what to say at first. The Hungry Bug, really, would have never existed if she had never tampered with her magic and killed Yakumo. She would have never tried desperately to change things, thus changing everything else happening in her timeline, and she would have never met Kawajiri the way that they actually had. And he would have never helped her escape into the Hole.

It's almost comical how everything seems to have come together again.

"I am. Well, I was. It's a long story," she smiles at her, "It's a pretty funny story actually, right, Kawajiri?"

"Oh, yea! My sister here, you see, was a devil. Briefly. But she decided she was happier off as a regular person. I thought you'd like to know that you're not the only one, right, Nikaido?"

"Right," she says, almost feeling dazed. It was already amazing that Kawajiri considers her a sister, despite their relationship only being that for her. She's happy that he's still such a huge part of her life, even with things changed as they were. She wonders if Yakumo could become something like that as well.

She feels a small spring of hope fill her heart.

"It's nice to meet you, Yakumo," she steps closer and finally reaches out her hand. Yakumo takes it and they shake, "I really hope you order something! I want to get to know you better."

#### 4.

**Kaiman** doesn't like to admit being wrong, even to someone he loves as much as Nikaido, but she is right in that he… really ought to go check up on old Mister Coleman. And speak with him.

Maybe.

He has the day off and as such, has a lot of time to waste. He isn't very fond of his days off as he'd rather spend them with Nikaido. But until she gets another chef set up in the Hungry Bug, she's basically there all the time. He finds it all very unfair.

So, he's alone for the day. A proper day to go out and talk to Mister Coleman.

But Kaiman chickens out, instead deciding to wander the streets a little. He wanders for a while, hands in pockets, face hidden by his mask. He thinks about the old man and his affliction. His long and twisting neck, his almost violent grumpiness, how he's almost always on the move, even at such an old age. He's just as Kaiman remembers him, minus the neck of course… or, rather… just as Ai remembers him.

Kaiman worries this thought around in his head for a little while, just walking and walking. He twists it around, wringing it between his hands, trying to extract any sort of understanding from it.

Who is he? Kaiman, of course. He's happy to be Kaiman but that doesn't stop him from remembering the things from Ai, from Aikawa… sometimes even from Kai, who is supposedly eradicated.

It frustrates him to no end, when he gets these glimpses of memories or feelings. Things from people he couldn't even confidently say were him. They were aspects of him, people in his body that could have been him, that lived lives and loved and hated and did everything under the sun. Just as he has. But were they entirely him? No...

Ai was so desperate to change his life, to improve things, to gain control in a world where he had none. He was desperate to become like those who held control over him, sorcerers, that he did horrible things to others and himself to meet his goal. Kasukabe knew him as that and despite being the best of all of the people who knew his other selves.. well, Kaiman still catches him calling him 'Ai-kun.'

Aikawa was everything Ai wanted to be. He was a sorcerer with smoke output, he was friends with people, he was living in the sorcerer's world. Despite his status as a weak sorcerer, he was popular, and he had a wonderful friend in a person like Risu. And Kaiman can see that in Risu -- a good friend. But Risu sometimes talks to him like they're more, like they're partners, and he feels a sense of shame that they aren't. Not with Kaiman as he is, that is. He wonders how hard it is for Risu to see that and thinks that maybe that's why Risu doesn't hang out with Nikaido nearly as much as he used to.

Kai was the Hole, stealing Ai's body from him and using him for its own means. But there were glimpses under the hatred, under the desire to slaughter, that made him almost his own person. Small concerns, simple desires, small connections. He's the hardest for Kaiman to understand, but he doesn't try very hard either. And every time Dokuga looks at him he feels something deep inside him that confuses him. There's a small spark of something and he worries that maybe Kai was more than just a doll for the Hole to enact its revenge through. Like Kai had connections deeper than anything Kaiman had assumed of him. It's hard to tell, as Kai is the foggiest of the three. His memories feel like nightmares.

And then, there's Kaiman.

He's broken from his train of thought as he stands in front of the fated walkway, the one where he was essentially created. The place doesn't fill him with as much dread and curiosity as it used to, but it certainly does make him feel something. Nostalgia.

Kaiman jerks in surprise as Risu peeks from around the corner. He spots him instantly and jogs over. He has two straight horns protruding from his shaggy hair and a long, whipping devil tail. He's no longer in his armor either.

"Kaiman!" he calls, waving.

"Ey, Risu!" he calls back with a grin.

"Visiting this old place again, huh?"

"You too?"

Risu nods, looking thoughtfully over his shoulder. He looks back at Kaiman. "Yea, I was actually just thinking about you, y'know."

Kaiman quirks a brow to the best of his ability, "Oh yea?"

"Yea," he laughs and it comes off strained. He suddenly looks somber, "A part of my training is letting go of my personal attachments. I think Asu's lying a little because I know he's still super attached to Nikaido but I understand what he's getting at, I think."

He nods along. Where's Risu going with this?

"Anyway, I just wanted to say that… I know you're unhappy with me and how I sometimes act around you," Kaiman goes to interrupt but Risu stops him, "I know it's been hard for me to stop seeing you as Aikawa… even with the… lizard head," he gestures at his own head for emphasis, "But just know that when I become a devil I won't be held back by that anymore."

Kaiman looks him up and down. The way his tail swishes back and forth, the bright clarity in his eyes, the way he folds his arms over his steadily breathing chest. He genuinely believes that.

Kaiman sighs and shrugs half-heartedly, "Fair. I hope you know though that I understand if you don't." He clenches his jaw, "I didn't mean to ignore you, even if it's true that the way you look at me… well, whatever. Just understand that I feel… felt. The love he had for you… I just can't feel that way about you myself. If that makes sense."

Risu nods solemnly, "Yea, it makes sense," there's a sudden sadness in his eyes, like two large bowls suddenly filling to the edge.

Kaiman leans against the wall and sighs again, "I'm sorry."

He watches him cautiously at first before leaping at him, grabbing him into a tight hug. Risu grinds his knuckles against the top of his head, sneering at him, "Oh, shut up!" He's laughing, the sadness melting away.

They talk about Aikawa for a little while after that, sitting in the stairway nearby. Risu talks about how important he was but also how glad he is that Kaiman's around as well. He talks about their similarities, their quirks, and he talks about their differences. He mentions appreciating him and Kaiman feels a rush of bashfulness and guilt.

They part ways soon thereafter, Risu using a bottle to summon a door -- "Can't use magic for another four months! "-- before he's gone in a poof of smoke.

Kaiman continues his wandering, feeling a strange heaviness in his heart but a lightness in his step.

He ought to speak with Mister Coleman.

\---

"Hey! Gramps!" Kaiman calls to him and Mister Coleman stops. His head swivels along his long neck and he peers back at the man calling at him.

"What do you want?" He yells at him from across the junkyard.

He jogs over to him, a growing sense of dread filling his heart the closer he gets. He goes around him so that they're facing each other, or rather, so their bodies are facing each other. Kaiman shivers at the grotesque look of Mister Coleman's head moving around like a snake, hovering in the air along his long neck.

"Mister Coleman," the man snakes around and looks at him closely. Kaiman slips his mask off, "I just wanted to tell you that I know about your grandson."

"Ai?!" he exclaims. His eyes narrow suddenly, "You're not with that pervert doctor and his goons, are you? The one who dug up my grandson's grave?"

That is news to Kaiman but he pushes forward. "Look, I do know them but I'm not with them." Mister Coleman tries to speak against this but Kaiman cuts him off, "You can't tell with this face of mine, I'm sure, but... I'm your grandson."

"What?!" the old man screams at him and in an instant he's scoping him, twisting his long neck around Kaiman's body, his head trying to see every angle of him.

Kaiman swats him away, irritated.

"Prove it, 'Ai.'"

He stares him down, long and serious, before he starts to draw upon the memories left in him. "It's a long story of how I've gotten here… grandpa." He grinds it out and knows that even Ai wouldn't have called him that, "Look, old man, my name isn't Ai anymore, it's Kaiman and I'm not even your grandson either. Or not totally. I just have his memories, okay? Ai is dead and what he left is me."

He grinds his teeth, "So you're just here to rub it in my face, huh?"

"No," Kaiman pushes through. He doesn't know how to word things, he doesn't know what he's even trying to tell him anymore. He just says what comes to mind. "Look, I don't know why I feel the need to connect with you but I do. Ai didn't like you, he didn't like the Hole. He fucking hated this place! But you know what, I love being here and I love the people who live here. He wanted to be a sorcerer but fuck that. I'm human and I'm proud of that."

He doesn't let Mister Coleman speak, continuing with, "But I remember those feelings, y'know. He wanted to be a sorcerer so badly because there was no one in his life who supported him. Protected him. You were out trying to make money all the fucking time."

Mister Coleman's eyes widen just a little. He lets Kaiman speak.

"So I guess the urge to find you and speak with you… that's whatever tiny part of Ai that's left in me trying to say that he… I don't even know! He doesn't forgive you!"

Kaiman fumes, a hotbed of emotions forcing large leaves of anger to unfurl out of him. He stares the old man down. He doesn't know where they're coming from but they're strong and sharp, like a dull knife driving through his side.

"You are Ai." He sounds sad.

"A form of, yea."

He doesn't speak for a long time and instead rests his head down in his lap. He looks off into the distance for a long moment before his eyes flicker back to life and lift up to Kaiman's face. "I'm glad you're alive," he admits, "And I'm sorry for not being there for you fourteen years ago."

Kaiman finds himself flushed of all the anger he feels, like a ghost lifting from his body. He takes a seat on the ground by Mister Coleman and crosses his legs. He looks him in the eye for a long moment before he leans back, flopping onto the dirt. He throws his arms behind his head and sighs.

"I think it'll be okay."

And they sit there, like that, contemplative.

\---

The last person he feels he's got to set things straight with is the hardest for him to approach. Risu is a friend to Kaiman and Mister Coleman is just another old man…

But Dokuga, he's different. He's seen the worst of it all, even more than Kaiman. He's also the closest person Kai had… whatever that meant to an entity like him. And Kaiman has to work with the dude's best friend.

He doesn't like it one bit.

There are foggy memories that wobble through his head every time he sees him, feelings of vague trust and affection. It makes him sick to think that Kai was anything more than the Hole's puppet.

But here he is, watching Dokuga stand by the door of the Hungry Bug, waiting for Tetsujo's shift to end, and all that he feels inside him is the ghost of Kai's very strange and very complex feelings towards the short man. There's hatred in him when he sees him, a sense of trust knowing that Dokuga will always follow him, an affection for the way he listens unquestioningly. It feels gross.

And then there's Dokuga's looks, like the way he watches Kaiman now. Wide, cautious eyes that make him look like he's waiting for Kaiman to attack him. He doesn't remember much of anything from Kai's perspective, everything is just feelings and vague images, but he really fucking wonders what Kai did to the guy to make him act like that.

Sometimes he even catches Dokuga give him looks of longing; that really sets Kaiman off. He isn't that man.

He uncrosses his arms and gets up from the place he's leaning and marches over towards Dokuga. He can't bring himself to relax and he knows that he looks stuffy and awkward when he gets next to him. He leans against the front window of the shop. "Hey."

Dokuga peers at him from the corner of his eye, "Hey."

Kaiman looks inside briefly, watching as Nikaido and Tetsujo work. They work well together, begrudging as he is to admit, and watching him stick the order tickets up through the window before bouncing off to help another table made Kaiman feel a little jealous. Nikaido is doing her absolute best and succeeding, he can tell. She's a master of the kitchen.

He turns back to Dokuga and notices him staring. "What?"

He looks startled for a moment before his lips tighten into a hard line, "I don't understand why you're talking to me."

"Can't a guy just try to make small talk? Jeez."

Dokuga doesn't speak and instead looks away. He crosses his arms and looks off into the distance. They stand without him replying for quite a while and just as Kaiman is about to speak up again he says bluntly, "What do you want from me, Kaiman?"

He twitches a little. "I don't want anything from the likes of you."

Dokuga sighs. "Of course."

Kaiman twitches again, "Look… sorry," he grinds out, "I'm not good at this sorta shit but today's been eventful and I'm on a roll so I'm gonna try."

He peers at him from the corner of his eye, strange faceted irises reflecting back at him.

"I wanted to talk to you about the tension between us, okay?" 

"Okay. Then talk."

Kaiman snarls but settles himself, "I know you think I'm Kai pretending to be someone else."

"I don't." he uncrosses his arms and turns to him, peering up at him with those big, sad eyes. Kaiman hates it.

"Then why do you look like I'm gonna hurt you?" He demands.

"I can't say I'm confident you won't, especially since you're talking to me like this." He doesn't even flinch as Kaiman wraps a hand around his arm. He just stands still and watches him intently.

"I'm not like Kai, y'know."

"Seems to me that you're more like him than you think."

He bares his teeth, "Shut it!" He lets go, "I just wanna say that I'm not your boss, okay? You understand? I'm don't have any desire to hurt you like he did."

Dokuga freezes at that, his eyes going frosty, "Desire to hurt me…" he hums, eyebrows squeezing together, "I guess I should have known…"

"Known what?" He demands.

"Known that he wanted me gone just like every other sorcerer. I was by his side for everything, y'know… I cleaned his messes, slaughtered my own for him, protected him even when he killed my companions, my friends... I cared for him." Dokuga balks and retreats, slipping his hood over his head.

Kaiman catches him by the shoulder and spins him around, "Look, sorry to bring up such a sore topic. I just wanted to stress that I'm not him, alright? He's dead."

Dokuga looks at him with quiet, dull eyes. He looks like he's about to say something but decides against it, "All right. I believe you."

Kaiman frowns, "Really?"

"Yea," he rubs his forehead, looking exhausted, "You're not him, you don't have his feelings or his motives. It's what it is."

Kaiman realizes something with a strike of clarity, "You're not afraid of me being him… you _want_ me to be him, don't you?"

Dokuga doesn't respond.

"Why? After everything you told me. Why?" Kaiman feels like he's going crazy, he can't wrap his head around it.

"I can't explain," his eyes grow darker, "It's just what my heart wants. I can't control that. However, I am telling the truth when I say I don't expect you to be him. You… just have some mannerisms that remind me of him, that's all."

Kaiman is insulted, "I'm nothing like him!"

His eyes are sad and he doesn't respond.

They're interrupted by Tetsujo stepping out of the Hungry Bug. He looks like he's about to greet them but stops when he senses the tension. He's quick to step by Dokuga's side and with a look between the two he smiles at Kaiman, strained, before they both leave.


	4. Chapter 4

# Bonus Curse

 **Dokuga** sighs weakly as he follows after Tetsujo. His best friend drags him towards the Hungry Bug, insistent that he try the gyoza there. Dokuga doesn't even know what the big deal is with Nikaido's gyoza but Tetsujo, having learned about the antidote, was very persistent. In fact, as Dokuga reflects on it, he thinks that Tetsujo's more excited about it than he is.

He almost desperately wants Dokuga to enjoy his newfound freedom from his poison but Dokuga is more moderate in his view of things.

But… he does like to spend time with Tetsujo, especially with him dating Thirteen, and Dokuga doesn't pretend to not notice that he doesn't get to see him nearly as much anymore. So he bears with being dragged to the Hungry Bug.

Hopefully Kaiman isn't there.

Things never go his way, however, because Kaiman does end up being there and is, in fact, managing the kitchen. Tetsujo seems shocked at this, as Kaiman wasn't allowed to actively cook since he had been officially hired there.

Dokuga doesn't really get what the big deal is. Food has never tasted good to him (side effects of the poison) and the idea of someone cooking it poorly never registered in his mind. Additionally, the concept of having a life changing experience with food was not something Dokuga was hinging on. It's just food.

He can admit, however, that the temperature and texture of gyoza he's had in the past is interesting but he can't imagine what properly functioning taste buds will bring to the experience. It's not much in the grander sense of things the antidote brings.

Laughing boisterously with friends. Being able to kiss. Anything of an intimate nature was now at his disposal and to waste a vial on something as trivial as gyoza… not exactly worth it.

But Dokuga tries not to be a stick in the mud about things.

"Tell them!" Tetsujo says to Dokuga, motioning for Nikaido to come over.

He looks from his friend to the owner of the shop and gives a small sigh, "Tetsujo wants you to make me some gyoza... please."

She quirks a brow.

Tetsujo elbows him. "Tell her why!"

He stuffs up and shoves his hands into his pockets. He pulls the small antidote out and shows it to her, "If this works properly, it'll be the first time I'll be able to taste food since… well, since I can remember. Tetsujo said he thought your gyoza would be the best first meal."

Nikaido bursts out into a wide smile, "Of course!" She has a look in her eyes that looks like something inside her is awakening and Dokuga practically flies back as she sprints by him to the back and kicks Kaiman out of the kitchen.

She works at breakneck speeds, starting completely from scratch: chopping, seasoning, mixing. "Dokuga, take a seat right here!" she shouts at him and motions with her sticky hands for him to come closer.

He obliges, taking a seat at the counter right by where she's preparing, and he can smell very vaguely a savory sort of greasy smell. His smell has never been very good either.

Tetsujo sits next to him, grinning ear to ear. "You're gonna love this."

Kaiman sits on his other side, stiff and lackadaisical. He rests his long face on his hand, leaning against the counter, and he watches Nikaido, "Not gonna lie, she makes the best gyoza in the Hole. It will change your life."

Dokuga is doubtful but waits either way.

She finishes with a flourish and places the plate down with a slam, the small crispy dumplings bouncing a little from the force. She places a small sauce dish next to it but gives a stipulation, "You have to taste a few without sauce before you taste them with it, okay?"

He nods and takes his pair of chopsticks from his knapsack. With a delicate hand, he unstops the vial, takes a small sip, and swishes the thick liquid around his mouth. He swallows and winces as a sharp, bitter taste fills his mouth. All food tended to taste rancid and bitter but this is definitely different so he proceeds, half confident.

The three others watch him carefully. Tetsujo's eye is large and eager. Nikaido looks almost smug as she waits. Kaiman isn't entirely facing him but Dokuga can see from the corner of his eye that Kaiman is also watching him from the corner of _his_ eye.

He plops the whole thing into his mouth and bites. 

The first thing he tastes is the slight oil on the wrapping that it fried in. He can't exactly say it's ground-breaking, but it's definitely something new to him so he takes it. However, things change the instant he starts to chew.

"Woah!" Tetsujo exclaims, resting a hand on Dokuga's shoulder, "Are you okay?"

Dokuga nods as large tears drip down his cheeks. It's absolutely the best thing he's ever had in his entire life. The pork, savory with a little salt. The texture of it and the very slight sweetness of the wrapping. The juices inside were also sweet with a salty twinge too. It all came together so well… he isn't sure how to react.

He swallows and instantly takes another, biting through it like he hasn't eaten in months. Ravenous, overwhelmed, happy.

Dokuga scrubs his face clear of tears but they don't stop. He turns away from Tetsujo but finds himself face to face with Kaiman and turns his head away from him as well, facing straight down onto the plate. Teardrops land beside the fried dumplings and he goes to try it with the soy sauce provided.

He tries to ignore how awkward Kaiman has become and he tries to ignore the shame inside him for making him feel that way. He's trying to get better about his habit of ruining the mood. Emoting wasn't exactly his forte and, as he struggles to relax, the next bite drives into a slight frenzy.

It's amazing.

Tetsujo pats his back but doesn't try to comfort him any further than that, something that Dokuga is grateful for.

Nikaido looks lost. "What do you think?"

"This is a compliment, right, Dokuga?" Tetsujo supplements, nudging him, and Dokuga nods.

He dries his face with his sleeve again, nothing to quell the flow but enough to at least make him a little more comfortable… for the moment. He nods again, swallowing his last mouthful. With only one more on the plate, he looks up at her sharply and replies, "It's delicious… thank you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Fanart of this chapter!](https://twitter.com/kitsunepixie/status/1249114777357561856?s=21)


	5. Chapter 5

# Part Three

#### 1.

**Dokuga** casually walks to the Hungry Bug. On his days off, he likes to go and pick up Tetsujo from work. It was especially important to be prompt today because Tetsujo had promised Dokuga a meal at a restaurant across town, and Dokuga refuses to let a free meal go.

With his new ability to taste, Tetsujo has taken it upon himself to share as much good food as he can with Dokuga… which was a blessing and a curse for him. As he crosses the street and rounds the corner, he thinks about how he'd rather keep his antidote for more serious uses than eating a mid-priced meal.

The only reason he humors Tetsujo and continues to use the antidote so is because that doctor likes to visit him from time to time with new batches. Longer lasting, he promised last time, and Dokuga tries hard to believe him but can't bring himself to just yet. Kasukabe promises more in the future if he allows him to test his saliva more and Dokuga is both relieved for a renewable income of it but also worried about the results of the small man's research.

He thinks the thought should disturb him more, but having grown more comfortable around people thanks to the antidote makes Dokuga consider it a worthy trade.

He enjoys eating with Tetsujo now; sometimes accompanied by Thirteen or that one member of En's family, Fujita. He enjoys the new foods, especially the sweets, but he enjoys the company more. It's been a long time since he's been able to be seated at the dining table with everyone without worry of a stray gleek killing a loved one.

What he doesn't enjoy, as he rounds the corner, is that the street is full of smoke. And even worse still, as his intuition tells him, the fire is originating at something very important to him. As he runs forward, straight into the smoke, he sees that it's the Hungry Bug that's ablaze.

Outside several patrons, including a very battered looking Thirteen, are stumbling away from the scene. He doesn't see Tetsujo anywhere and his heart fills with panic.

He runs up to Thirteen, grabbing him violently by the collar of his shirt.

"What's going on?" he demands.

Thirteen is too dazed to answer but before Dokuga pushes it, he's forced to throw Thirteen to the side and dive back himself. A ball of fire lands in their spot and Dokuga watches in horror as a sorcerer is thrown from the burning restaurant and into the trashcans nearby.

Dokuga squeezes his fists in anger, a hot burning rage fills him up like gasoline filling a tank. He's about to strike out against the sorcerer, bearing the same mask that the ones who threw him into the Hole ages ago wore, but he stops himself. He realizes, with a strange sense of sadness, that it's the same mask he's seen on movie posters about the original sorcerers coming to the Hole.

He's wearing an old-school mask.

He hurries into the restaurant, ignoring the way the smoke clouds his vision and makes his head swim. He's barely through the door when Tetsujo appears from the smoke, another sorcerer's neck under his hand, and he slams him outside.

Tetsujo looks like he's been crying and Dokuga feels an alarm set off in him, ringing hard inside his core.

"You good?" he asks, watching as Tetsujo scrubs his face dry.

"Yea… just smoke in my eyes."

Another fireball screams past them and Dokuga dives to the side. Nikaido appears and flings a body, a giant, hulking man running after her.

His hands are covered in blossoming smoke and from that smoke two large balls of fire manifest. He throws them both at the group of them and Tetsujo pulls Thirteen to the side, to safety once more.

He looks like a doll being thrown around, his face hazy and confused.

Nikaido tackles the fire sorcerer and just as she's about to kick him to the side, the sorcerer Tetsujo had been fighting tackles her.

Dokuga acts on instinct. He charges forward and high-kicks him in the head, driving him to the ground. He drives his foot into his temple for good measure and feels a sinking sense of dread fill him as he kills a sorcerer after a year of living peacefully in the Hole.

He's frozen, staring down at the mask that now has blood pooling out from under it.

"Dokuga! Duck!" Nikaido screams from under him and the fire sorcerer is back on his feet and his hand is ablaze. He throws another fireball but Dokuga finds himself stuck, unable to react.

There's blood in his eyes. Not his blood, not even real blood, but the image of the sorcerer filling his eyes like his blood stains the asphalt. It's more red than the fire that is hurling towards him, colder than the lifeless eyes of the man under him.

He sees the boss extracting the devil inside and swallowing it whole.

Nikaido reacts for him, getting onto her knees and pulling Dokuga down, forcing him to fall onto his back.

He lands harshly, gasping as his vision clears and as the fireball zips past them. Nikaido's hair singes, the back of her shirt starting to burn. He watches as she ignores it and gets up, looking at the sorcerer with a horrible look in her face.

Uncontrollable anger.

She throws herself at the fire starter and Dokuga desperately wishes he had his knives to help and at least block his smoke output. But he doesn't and before he knows it, Tetsujo is by his side, making sure he's okay. 

He places a hand on Dokuga's arm and tries to hoist him up. Dokuga doesn't need the help, heart racing and ready to take action.

He grits his teeth but before either him or Tetsujo can help, a building down the street explodes with a harsh bang and a blanket of debris flinging outwards. The entire group freezes in terror and Dokuga snaps his head in the explosion's direction, watching as a group of three other sorcerers fly away on a broomstick, their engine roaring and large swathes of smoke trailing behind them.

"Shit," the massive man curses as he notices that he's the only one remaining. He floods the street with fire before he runs.

"Get back here!" Nikaido screams and she forces herself over the fire and towards him. She pauses on the other side, her figure wobbling under the heat, and she yells at the two of them. "Make sure everyone's okay! I'll take care of the rest."

"O-Okay!" Dokuga yells back.

Tetsujo trembles for a moment before collapsing besides Dokuga.

He jerks in surprise and kneels besides his friend. "Are you okay?"

"Yea…" he wipes his face with an open palm, sweat drenching his brow. "We need to get away from this fire, it's spreading."

"Yea… yea, okay." Dokuga helps him up and they grab at any remaining patrons that are nearby. Thirteen is found a few yards away, hiding behind a newspaper stand. They find safety near the public market a handful of blocks away and Dokuga finds his body aching with tension.

He sits down on the curb, panting softly. Tetsujo sits by him and Thirteen besides him and the three of them settle down.

"Nikaido will get them," Thirteen sighs, a part of him sounding concerned and another sounding relieved.

Dokuga takes count of himself, feeling worn but okay otherwise. He's desperately out of shape, he realizes, and the feeling of helplessness from earlier fills him. His hands tremble as he stares at them, full of shame. He thinks of how that fight would have been different if he had been prepared… how many he could have killed.

But then there's the issue, he discovers. He doesn't want to kill, he never has, and with a sick feeling in his stomach he realizes one more time that he's… actually terrified of the man he's become.

He thinks of how many lives were taken, needlessly and through self defense. He hates it. He truly hates it. He doesn't want this life. He thought being in the Hole after all that shit would make things different.

But he's tormented by sorcerers even now.

Tears drip down his face but he doesn't register them. He just sits miserably and hopes that Nikaido is handling things okay.

#### 2.

**Tetsujo** cleans a table off, smiling as the couple previously sitting there head for the door. He waves them goodbye. When he finishes, he picks up the bin and small bucket of sanitizer and heads to the back.

Nikaido grins at him and he smiles back. He bypasses her and makes a line straight for the sink where he scrapes the scraps into the bin and tosses the plates in to be dealt with later. With Kaiman having the day off, it's just the two of them. It's actually pretty busy.

Sometimes Tetusujo thinks that Kaiman is scaring off the customers with the way they flock when he's not around. The thought makes him laugh.

The bell at the door jingles and Tetsujo spins around, ready to help the new customers. Before he can even leave the back he can see them, right through the opening of the bar: three large men wearing ghoulish masks and long, black robes.

His heart instantly sinks. He knows what sort of men these are.

Sorcerers.

Tetsujo feels a tight squeeze of anger in his heart and instantly knows that things aren't going to be good. These are the sort of people who would throw sorcerers like him into the Hole where they believed they belonged. He's already out in the dining area, wishing beyond wishes that he had his katana on him, but before he can even swing a fist the main sorcerer lifts a hand.

It's engulfed in smoke, sharp black particles shifting in the air, and from that smoke a large, greasy fireball manifests. 

"Shit!" Tetsujo dives as it's hurled past him. The fire blasts through the window leading to the kitchen and crashes with a boom against the grill. 

A chain reaction starts, the fire sticking to the old wall and spreading without prejudice. Nikaido is already out of the kitchen as well, a knife in each of her hands. She hurls one at the main sorcerer, who dodges.

The smallest of the three clenches his hand and the fire that's now spreading at increasing speeds shoots towards him, wrapping around his fist like a boxing glove. He uses it to punch at a patron seated by the door. 

"Get out!" Nikaido screams to her customers, or maybe the sorcerers, as she jukes under the largest and stops the smallest from attacking. She then kicks the group of them away from the door and deeper into the Hungry Bug.

Tetsujo hurries to Thirteen, who looks dazed and has clearly inhaled too much smoke, and pulls him from his seat.

He coughs sharply, head growing light. The large sorcerer hurls another fireball at him and he drops to the floor. Tetsujo covers his mouth and nose, coughing the smoke out, and gets up in time to dodge out of the way of the third sorcerer. He grips the sorcerer's thrown fist and throws him to the floor.

Nikaido yells something but he can't make her out. His eyes are watering, his heart pounding, and Tetsujo picks the man up by his throat and hauls him outside.

Tetsujo scrubs his arm over his eyes, trying to quell the tears, before he viciously throws his head up, trying to parse anything through the smoke that billows from the shattered windows.

Dokuga is next to him and Tetsujo feels a rush of happiness that his best friend is there to help. He's the best fighter Tetsujo knows. He's glad Dokuga is there.

"You good?" he asks Tetsujo and Tetsujo scrubs his arm across his face, pushing the tears away. 

"Yea... just smoke in my eyes."

A fireball screams past them and Tetsujo is barely missed. Dokuga dodges away.

He positions himself, ready to start the fight again. He spots Thirteen, cowering to the side, and he hurries to him. It was starting to seem that he couldn't protect himself at all…

#### 3.

**Nikaido** is on her skateboard, pursuing the group on brooms and the firestarter. She catches up on them fast, her arms and body tucked inward and streamlined. She gets to the firestarter first and, with the motion of a springing jackknife opening up, throws her arm out and slams her forearm against the back of his head.

The sorcerer goes down immediately, fumbling and then skidding from the momentum. Nikaido can hear his mask crack as she turns.

Behind her another explosion sets off but she doesn't look, not yet, not until the firestarter, the man who destroyed her restaurant, is dead. So she does a quick circle of him, seeing if he'll get up, and when he makes no move to, she turns, satisfied.

Nikaido hurries towards the broomsticks, watching in disgust as they throw various balls of smoke into innocent homes. 

Where was that damned Holey figure when you needed it?

"Hey you!" she yells and her hand is behind her back and on the knives hanging from her apron strings.

One of the three spots her and, instead of responding, makes an exaggerated movement towards her, and then a stream of smoke. It flies to her and past her like a bullet, literally screaming as it whistled past and into the ground.

"Shit!" she yells and tries to jump away but she's late, the ground around her already shattering and being flung outwards. Nikaido springs off the asphalt block she's on the best she can and, in the air, flings her knife at the attacker.

As she is thrown and rolls to the side, the knife strikes the sorcerer and he falls, dead upon landing. His friends shout at her but she ignores their words.

With another hurl, she jettisons the second knife towards the others. They try to dodge but she nails the second one in the arm, watching with satisfaction as he rips the knife out and retreats, clutching his wounds.

One left.

He angrily lands, stalking towards her. They circle each other, glaring, and Nikaido is the first to move. She shoots forward like a high strung rubberband and nails him in the face with her fist. 

He staggers back and hurls a ball of smoke.

She dodges and is thrown forward as the smoke explodes behind her. Nikaido uses the force to fling herself at him again and slides, trying to knock him off his feet. He dodges her but she's able to grab a hold of his ankle and she drags him down with her.

"You!" he growls and holds out a smoking hand.

She punches it upwards and the explosive magic is shot upwards and away. Nikaido grabs him by the face and slams him into the pavement: once, twice, three times before killing him. Panting, she stands.

Nikaido takes count of the area, looking at the various impact spots on the road and the smoking buildings that surround her. She exhales, her whole body shaking, and kneels in her spot for a moment, feeling like the world is crashing around her. She tightens her fists before she gets up, ready to continue on.

#### 4.

**Kaiman** sees her in the distance, trudging back. 

She looks exhausted, hair and clothes singed, and he meets her halfway at one-third the time. The one day he's off doing his own thing (groceries! laundry! tidying the house!) and everything goes to hell. He's never going to leave gyoza unattended ever again.

He embraces her, he smells her burnt hair and feels how warm she is, and helps her along.

"Nikaido! What happened?"

They sit on the curb and she pushes her bangs from her sticky face and tries to smile but it breaks instantly. She instead sighs heavily, a day's worth of fighting expelling from her lungs, and she tells him.

Sorcerers -- destroying whatever business or home they saw fit. The Cross-Eyes helped but the damage was done too quickly.

"The Hungry Bug isn't going to be in good shape," she says, standing. He joins her. "It might not be salvageable…"

"Don't say that!" Kaiman finds himself wanting to play the optimist; the restaurant half standing, not half burned to the ground. "We'll figure this out, I promise."

She nods, almost stunned, before they both head off to the street they've known for years now. The place that felt like home.

The Hungry Bug does end up being unsalvageable.

The Cross-Eyes, Tetsujo and Dokuga, both help after the fire is extinguished, pulling any tools from the building that are still usable. When things are organized, Tetsujo offers his and Dokuga's apartment as storage while things are worked out. 

Dokuga looks uncomfortable and sullen but Kaiman doesn't pester him. He doesn't have the heart in him and there's a thin, watery line along the edge of his eyes that makes Kaiman's chest mysteriously ache to see. 

Tetsujo looks a little worse for wear too, still rubbing his eyes, making excuses about smoke in them still. Dokuga places a supportive hand on his shoulder and escorts him off. The two wearily head off with Nikaido's remaining equipment.

Dokuga is surprisingly strong, he notes.

As they leave he turns to Nikaido and notices the way she cards her fingers through her hair, pulling back with clumps between her fingers. She seems nonplussed by it, shedding the burnt hair to the side. She smiles at him but it crumbles again, her face distorting into a pained grimace.

He rubs her back, feeling that it's probably not the right time to say anything. But he doesn't have to because Nikaido starts without him.

She presses her face into his chest and hugs him tightly. He hugs her back and, muffled into him, she says, "This sucks…"

"Yea," he agrees, "It does…"

She pulls away and her eyes are small and sad, downcast. "What should we do?"

Kaiman doesn't know how to answer. He can see that line again, the watery edge between having it together and breaking apart. His eyes sting at it, like a sea animal echoing the cries of its kin, and before he knows it there's tears in his eyes too.

He doesn't know how to help her with this. 

And he cries.

Nikaido rests her head against his chest, sniffling softly as she cries too. They aren’t the type to do this, he reflects, but there's something good about it now. He can feel the tears following the paths of his scales down his cheeks, and doesn't make a move to dry them.

They sit for a long moment, the street empty and the day still warm, even as the sun is starting to set.

The thought occurs to him that Nikaido's belongings were all in that building too. Everything was destroyed.

He pulls her away from his chest and looks down at her, solemn but trying to be supportive, like a walking stick she can lean on while trekking up the mountain. 

"Do you want to stay at my place for a bit?"

Her lips draw tight before she nods, giving one last smile that wavers but plants this time. "Yea... I'd love to."


	6. Chapter 6

# Bonus Curse

**Kaiman** doesn't have a job now. He mopes a bit, fools around more, all before his yen starts to run short and he's forced to find something to replace the income lost.

He ends up being suggested, by Nikaido who hears it from Tetsujo, the post delivery job he knows Dokuga does. He thinks he's better off going back to the Magic Victims Clinic but decides to give something new a try. With a lot of pressuring from Nikaido.

Kaiman finds himself partnered with Dokuga. What could get better than this…

Dokuga instructs him to sort the stacks of mail in their trolley. As he turns away and Kaiman sticks his tongue out at him before reeling it back in the second Dokuga turns back.

"Right away," he says, and he tries not to sound snarky even though he knows it ends up that way. He digs his hands into the deep cart, pulling wads of wrapped mail and sorting it by street. 

Dokuga eventually steps over and wordlessly joins him, picking up bundles and organizing them opposite him. It makes Kaiman bristle but, as he opens his mouth, he decides against it and forces it shut with a snap.

Dokuga has always been such a tightass. He's annoyed that he looks down on him.

He glances up at him and Kaiman quickly looks down at their work. "I'm not doing this because you're going too slow. I'm just helping, so relax."

He tightens up again and tries to count to ten like Nikaido always tells him to. Instead, he notices Dokuga look thoughtfully at the time before pulling a medical mask from his pocket and slipping it over his nose and mouth. He finishes the rest and sets them back neatly into the cart, each stack a different street. 

He hands Kaiman a satchel. "Let's get going."

They pull up to the first building, locking the cart shut and to the side, and they place the stacks in their bags. He pops open the lowest numbers first and motions for Kaiman to follow.

"You sick or something?" he comments as he pulls the first few letters out. He stuffs them into the mailboxes, looking less at his work and more at his coworker.

"Pay attention to what you're doing," Dokuga reminds him. He's quiet for a moment before he adds in, "There's a reason I don't use other people's utensils. Or why eating that gyoza with that medicine meant so much to me. Why I don't laugh in public…"

Kaiman peers at him. "And why's that?" there's no edge to his voice, no antagonism. Dokuga isn't messing with him and Kaiman finds himself teetering on the edge of feeling ignorant.

"My saliva is extremely toxic. Even a little will do serious harm at best… kill, at worst."

And Kaiman sees him for the first time; truly sees him. Dokuga, always with his bag full of everything he could ever need. Dokuga, using his own chopsticks at the Hungry Bug. Dokuga, who always turns away when everyone laughs together. Dokuga, the man wearing the mask now.

"So that's why you're such a stick in the mud." It comes out without much thought and Dokuga prickles like a startled cat.

He watches him with guarded eyes but it melts after a hot moment, Holey's knife through a sorcerer, and he lets out a small huff that Kaiman swears is a laugh. "I guess so, huh?"

Kaiman laughs at that and gives him his best bewildered look. He carefully slips the mail into the slots as they continue along.

"So is that your magic? Poisonous spit?"

Dokuga hums from down the hall. "No, I have no magic," a pause, "A sorcerer experimented on me and this was the result."

Oh. Kaiman's mind flashes to when he thought he was a victim to a sorcerer's torment and how angry he was. How much his head had bothered him, held him back, and how he's accepted it now. He supposes that's the same for him.

"So they do that to sorcerers as well?" Tanba had suggested it but seemed unsure himself, back when Kaiman had first met him. Sorcerers are strange like that, he supposes instead. And very chaotic.

"Sometimes. Usually on sorcerers with no smoke output at all… because they suppose we're humans." Dokuga places his section away rapidly and makes his way closer to Kaiman with each word. By the time he's gotten to Kaiman's side he adds, "More often than not it's done to slaves; it's less like doing it to a person and more like playing with property."

Kaiman doesn't know how to respond to that. He just finishes his section and they move along.

Next building.

"What about you?" Dokuga comments. Kaiman looks at him but doesn't say anything, so Dokuga expands with, "Must be strange having two different people in you."

"I dont have anyone else but me in here." He sighs. "And there were three, plus me."

"Four of you?" he seems surprised and it makes Kaiman laugh, bitterly at first but the startled look on Dokuga's face makes it shift to something more humorous. He looks at him thoughtfully, in a soft way that makes Kaiman think he might be looking at someone other than him. But the way his eyes settle into his makes his stomach tighten.

"And you have memories of all three? Not just Kai's?" He crouches to the lowest boxes on the wall of mailboxes, placing mail into the slots.

It's Kaiman's turn to look thoughtful. He realizes that Dokuga is the only other person to refer to the Cross-Eye's boss as Kai. "I don't remember Kai like the others. His memories feel like nightmares; bloody and like I'm crawling through garbage."

Dokuga looks up, ready to say something, but he stops himself and looks away, muttering. "Sounds about right."

Kaiman doesn't comment. He thinks about telling him all of it but hesitates.

They continue their work, slowly filling the wall of mailboxes until their satchels are empty. The thought stews in Kaiman's head, swirling around and around. Kai and Dokuga, huh…

"Was there anything between you two?" 

Dokuga's head snaps to him and even with the mask over half his face, Kaiman can see the shock. He flounders.

Kaiman doesn't relent, just watches him intently.

Dokuga matches his look, "No… nothing between us. I often thought that he'd kill me," he laughs that light laugh, almost nothing at all, just expelling air, "But…"

He balks.

He doesn't push him. They're at the cart now, pushing it down to the next building.

Finally, "But I did hope maybe something would?" He rubs the back of his neck. "He saved my life. He gave me hope and purpose. He made me feel like a person: not property, not scum."

Kaiman's skin crawls. To think he was more than just the Hole's toy makes him upset, more than he could describe. Was there an actual man in there that En killed? He doesn't like to think of it.

"He's a monster… was a monster," Dokuga sighs, slipping his mask off, "Pretty stupid of me to want a man like that."

"The heart wants what it wants, I guess," Kaiman reflects.

Dokuga looks away, bashful. "That's true,"

"If it makes you feel better, I don't think he wanted you dead… He just liked hurting people." Kaiman says, and scratches his cheek.

Dokuga doesn't respond until he pulls his mask over his mouth hurriedly and laughs. He laughs hard enough that his shoulders shake, and loud enough it echoes. He looks at him, shaking his head as he settles. "It doesn't… but thank you."

Kaiman thinks he'd like to hear Dokuga laugh more often. Maybe he'll give it a try.


	7. Chapter 7

# Part Four

#### 1.

**Dokuga** finds that things are shifting rather quickly. To think over a year ago he hated being around Kaiman and yet, now, here he is in the guy's apartment. 

He's seated on Kaiman's shabby couch in his shabby apartment in the dripping heat of the Hole during the summer.

He reflects that they may have judged each other too quickly. Dokuga, specifically, judged too harshly. His attempts to run from Kai had made him miss out on the opportunity to make a genuinely decent friend. He thinks of Kaiman and, yea, he does see Kai in there. The jealousy, the possessiveness over food. The strike-fast temper.

But, he sees his friends in him too. Ton's affection, Ushishimada's almost bullheaded stubbornness, with a dash of bashfulness when proven wrong. He even saw Tetsujo's genuine nature in Kaiman: he was wholly him… it was foolish of Dokuga to think otherwise.

He scratches his nose through the mask, still a little awkward in it, just like he was awkward in his new role. Dokuga tries to relax, has been trying for a good fifteen minutes, but it just doesn't come to him. Not yet.

What was it going to take? Kaiman saving him from death in the Hole? Again!

Kaiman comes back into the room with two sandwiches, one of which he offers to Dokuga. He takes it with a thank you, embarrassed by how meek he sometimes sounds behind the medical mask, before he pulls it down, reiterating more confidently, "I appreciate the lunch."

Kaiman smiles, a wide and amused one, "’Least I can do."

They eat quietly at first, as quietly as Kaiman can with food, and Dokuga doesn't mind it. He's always been happy to let others talk while he watches, listens, and responds when needed. He's a minimalist like that, he supposes, and laughs weakly at the new word he had learned in his literacy class.

Kaiman smiles that smile of his in return, "What's so funny?"

Dokuga feels a wave of embarrassment flush through him like a wave beating a rock; fast and widespread. He's still trying to get used to all this: smiling more, laughing more, interacting more. He's only ever this comfortable with Tetsujo and it almost terrifies him that another person is getting to see this version of him.

He's about to find himself going down that dark rabbit hole when Kaiman snaps his fingers, "C'mon! Share!"

If a man with a reptilian face could pout…

But Dokuga settles and he does share, explaining that he's been going to school to help improve his literacy.

They hadn't talked much about Dokuga's past after their last conversation but Kaiman seems to catch the implication and remarks instead, "Minimalism, huh?"

Dokuga hums an affirmative as he bites into his sandwich, taking his time. Kaiman's finished his.

"Sounds like a poor person's way of living."

Dokuga bites again. Chews. Swallows. He has a comeback but he elects to not say it. Instead he shrugs, "I think it's more complicated than that."

It's nice to have someone else to talk to. After all, Tetsujo is pretty occupied with his boyfriend now. Everything feels new and wonderful and absolutely terrifying, all at once. Working with Kaiman makes things easier, helps him understand him easier, makes feeling comfortable easier.

"There's something I've been wanting to ask you."

Dokuga blinks and nods, encouraging him to go ahead.

"There's a sorcerer I know of," he leans back, putting his boots up onto the table, "Who can change faces."

This catches his attention.

"I was curious if you ever wanted to get rid of those crosses." It's not even asked, just set out there like the mud flecking onto the coffee table.

Dokuga hums, touching the spots with two fingers. He follows them without even looking, like he does every morning like a ritual. What's he praying for? Dokuga doesn't pretend to know.

Maybe guidance from a being higher than him. Maybe he just wishes for his friends back.

"That… is something I might actually take you up on," he admits, "I'll talk to Tetsujo about it too."

Kaiman slaps his thigh, "Nice, it's a pretty shitty area but I’m sure you can handle it.”

"Oh, you won't be coming with?"

"Naw, why would I?"

Dokuga blinks, feeling perhaps the most confused he's been in a long time. "What do you mean? You have a lizard face."

Kaiman barks out a laugh that sounds like Ushishimada's. "Oh right, I always forget,"

"You do?" Dokuga feels like he's lost his mind.

He gives a small 'mhmm' in response, trailing his finger along his snout. "This is my head," he nods like it's the most profound thing that's ever been said. "Why? You wanna see my original face again?"

He hesitates. It would be a lie to say he didn't but he hates to admit it. He's over Kai, there's nothing left of him… except maybe the shape to Kaiman's eyes when he squints that reads a little too close to when Kai was being stern with him.

Dokuga coughs, covering his face with his mask. His ears feel warm. He refuses to answer.

"Alright, alright, so I was ugly, I get it," he jokes, grinning all teeth and gums. "I'm better off with my face now anyway," he nods sturdily, "That old face… not me, I can't explain it. I'd rather be 'Old Lizard Face' than those guys any day!"

Dokuga watches as he runs a hand down the long line of his jaw and across his neck. He scratches along the line of his jugular, letting out a small yawn. His hands are large and hard and Dokuga keeps finding himself thinking, 'just like the boss.'

He squeezes his eyes shut, rubbing them in irritation before pushing his bangs out of his face.

"What's wrong?" Kaiman asks and his face becomes guarded. It's hard to trust, even now.

"I think I'm going to go to the face changing sorcerer. Where's he located?" Things don't have to be this hard and maybe getting rid of the crosses that mark him will help.

#### 2.

**Tetsujo** checks his foot, snug on the rung of the ladder, and starts to pull himself up. He looks down at Dokuga who is scoping out the area and once he hits the top, he calls for Dokuga to listen.

He peers out, looking across the abandoned city they're making their way through. Kaiman had mentioned that deep into Migimaru-Hole there's a bar that the sorcerer they seek works at. The issue, they find, is that this side of the city of Hole is more rubble than buildings. The landmark should've been obvious enough, a large meditative figure with thousands of flowing arms, but the deeper they go, the harder it is to spot anything of the sort.

He spots a market nearby and a large, broken, neon sign advertising a hotel. It's a good place to start.

Tetsujo slides down, his gloves catching any of the rust that's flaking off, and he lands next to Dokuga who is dutifully waiting for him.

"What'd you see?" he asks, adjusting his backpack. He has his trademark bags tied to his arms and Tetsujo smiles at him fondly. Dokuga, always prepared.

"There's a market about a half mile from here due east and about a mile south I saw a large sign for a hotel."

He nods, gently tapping his chin as he thinks.

Tetsujo pulls out a canteen and takes a drink. He wishes in that moment that they could share it, but resists the urge and puts it back onto the loop on his belt. Instead, he steers himself ahead of Dokuga and crouches, resting his legs for a moment. It's been a long trek.

Finally, Dokuga replies with, "Let's head towards the hotel. We have enough food on us for now to be good for a few nights. If we end up staying in this area for a while and really need it, we can chip together and go to the market, but let's wait."

Tetsujo nods. "Sounds good.”

They walk on.

As the man walks ahead of him, eyes clear and sharp against the unknown cityscape, Tetsujo remembers. He remembers them being thrown into the Hole, and before that when he lost his eye to save Dokuga, and before that when the five of them were living off crumbs and river water. He remembers back to when he met the man marching ahead of him; back to when they were more than just mere children but two tiny souls trying desperately to survive in the world that wanted them gone from sight.

He remembers meeting Ton, always big for his age, and his sweet smile and simple charm.

He remembers Saji, so tough but unexpectedly gentle.

He remembers Ushishimada, hard but boisterous. Temper like a firecracker but sacrificing beyond his means.

His family, all gone. Only him and Dokuga remain.

Tetsujo squeezes his eyes shut and wishes beyond all wishes to erase the mistakes he made. He hopes, in some way, that removing his crosses will make things easier. He's tired of the guilt and the sadness, the deep rooted agony that stretches through him like poison. He wants to be rid of Kai and every influence he's had on them.

He wants a purge.

\---

Thousands of arms wave in a bright ocean of neon and pumping music, so loud and with such a strong bass that Tetsujo feels his body tremble under the pressure. Dokuga is ahead of him, mouth covered in his new mask, hands stuffed deep into his coat, and his eyes keener than ever.

They're sorcerer hunting.

Tetsujo never thought he would see the day again.

He shivers despite the heat of the hundreds of bodies inside the large building, feeling his mind drawn back to their vicious hunt years prior. The exhaustion, the blood that caked in the creases of his palms as it slid down his blade. He remembers the perverse delight of the boss as him and his crew delivered the hundreds of devil's tumors.

He shakes the memory off, feeling his body steel against the pain that courses through his muscles, and Tetsujo treks ahead.

He thinks of Dokuga instead, watching as his best friend weaves through the gyrating crowd. The bodies move in a frenetic wave, so close to synchronization but not quite.

Dokuga waves his hand, the other pointing a straight arrow towards an emergency exit hall that's been graffitied into a side room. The neon sign marked "EXIT" is taped over with caution tape, various stickers, and a large sign that hangs crooked that reads "FORTUNES" in heavy black marker.

They beeline, pushing and wading through the sea of people. The music swells and Tetsujo's ears throb. The lights dim until he can barely see ahead of him, the light that spills from the hall all that keeps them pushing forward.

Inside and down the hall the emergency exit door is propped open and outside a tent covers the exit. They step through, the music just a rumble in the ground as it picks up again. The lights of the dance floor flash against the hall's walls behind them.

In the tent is a small group of people and a man in a mask, slowly sipping at a bottle of what Tetsujo thinks is a cheap beer. He's seen Kaiman drink it from time to time. The man looks up at them and immediately sets his drink down.

"Cross-Eyes," he comments, and the several others with him don't seem to understand but Tetsujo does.

A sorcerer that fled to the Hole after the events at Mastema.

"What do you want from me?" His eyes are narrow but he doesn't move or go to draw his weapon.

"The Cross-Eyes are dead," Dokuga starts before Tetsujo can speak. He watches the man with wide eyes, honestly surprised that he would so openly admit that. They had both worked for years trying to cultivate and grow their group, following the whims of their boss but also push their own agenda as well. Tetsujo still has trouble wrapping his head around the fact that their group is genuinely, truly done with.

Dokuga is much stronger than him, Tetsujo thinks. Much, much stronger.

"We don't want anything from you that we're not willing to pay for," he continues, "A friend of ours told us of a sorcerer that can change faces, and…" 

Dokuga pauses but Tetsujo doesn't miss the way his hands tighten into fists. "We need your services."

The sorcerer doesn't move or speak for a stretch. He finally takes a sip from his beer and waves them to come closer. "Let me guess," he says, and looks at Tetsujo with a smile.

Dokuga hangs back but Tetsujo steps forward, taking a seat when it's presented to him. "Yea," he replies without him needing to continue.

The man nods and pulls out a cup full of acupuncture needles and gestures for him to lean forward.

Tetsujo looks at Dokuga and nods an affirmation: "continue and I'll make sure you're safe".  
In the hazy pink light of the tent, the sorcerer starts. "Just the crosses? Nothing else changed?"

"Just the crosses."

He does his work and Tetsujo notices that he only needs a handful before he pulls back, completed. He lifts a finger and spreads a small burst of smoke-- Tetsujo instinctually recoiling-- before he places the cup down with a small snap and starts to remove the needles, slowly and delicately.

His face starts to peel and, with instruction, Tetsujo slowly peels the skin away and looks down in surprise as the thin layer of skin in his hands has bright, screaming red crosses over the eyes. He immediately turns to Dokuga.

He can't see his expression but he realizes that there's a small crinkle at the corners of his eyes that is less of a squint and more from a small, tender smile.

"They're gone?"

"They're gone," Dokuga replies.

Tetsujo leans back in the chair and feels like the world is finally lifted from his shoulders and placed aside. He just sits there, unable to even react for a long moment, taking account of the way his body feels. Lighter, cleaner almost.

The sorcerer turns to Dokuga. "How about you?" 

He, hesitantly, shakes his head no.

Tetsujo watches him curiously at that and finds himself compelled to keep his mouth shut. "Why?" he wants to ask, revelling in how much better he feels without the crosses bearing down on him so heavily. Why does he want to keep them?

But Tetsujo knows why.

"Well, how about I add in a fortune for you?"

At that, Dokuga starts. He places a hand on the back of Tetsujo's seat and leans forward. Tetsujo's heart aches.

The sorcerer places the cup in both hands and asks the needles inside to tell him what Dokuga ought to expect in the future. He then swirls his hand inside, grips a small stack of them, and flicks the needles down onto the floor.

They land, all sticking upwards and out in various angles, and the acupuncturist hums softly.

It looks like a bunch of needles in dirt to Tetsujo but he stays quiet.

"They're telling me that something good will come when you see fireworks."

Dokuga hums. "Let's go, Tetsujo,"

He stands up immediately and pays the sorcerer, turning to leave with Dokuga.

Fireworks, huh?

#### 3.

**Nikaido** is surprised to see Asu.

He appears in her room with a dramatic flare of smoke and shivering splinters of reality twisting and bending around his gigantic figure. He steps through his gate, his door, and behind him follows Curse.

"Nikaido!" Curse calls and she's surprised to hear Risu's voice under it, so different to the typical gravely rumble of Curse's. She realizes in an instant that it's not just Curse but Risu as well. There's something different about them, together, and Nikaido realizes a second time in a row that it's Risu as a devil that she sees and not Risu and Curse working together.

"Risu?" she exclaims, and he sweeps her into a large hug.

He's much bigger and his tail creeps around her leg and clings tightly. He practically crushes her in his embrace and Nikaido groans under the pressure. She desperately pats at his shoulders until he finally relents and drops her.

Nikaido gasps for air and sits, looking up at the two large devils. She pushes her bangs out of her face and grins, delighted to see the two of them again. She takes them both in, Risu's new devil form and Asu's old. Asu is slightly different and she wonders if it's because Chidaruma is gone.

He's still his typical shape but his clothes are different. Instead of the plain white shirt she's always remembered him having, Asu has on a fine golden robe that his goat-like legs hang out of awkwardly. It seems hard to walk in, she realizes, but if there's anything she knows about Asu is that he's willing to put up with the awkwardness if it means he's able to get what he wants.

It seems like the world of the devils has already started to shift.

"What brings you guys to the Hole?" she exclaims and it's Asu's turn to pick her up into a crushing hug of his own. "Guys!" she calls out against his broad chest.

Asu puts her down and pats her head with his large hand. "Can't I come see my sister?"

Her face twists and she hugs him back. "Asu!"

"Maybe I should come back later,” Risu laughs.

"No!" she pulls back and motions for them both to come over and take a seat on her couch. As Risu sits, it buckles under his weight and the three of them laugh. "I'm glad to see you!"

"Where are we anyway?" Risu asks, looking around. "This doesn't look like your room.” 

She nods and before she can reply, Asu cuts in. "We're on the complete opposite side of the city."

"How come?" Risu shoots back. Asu is about to reply but Nikaido cuts him off by closing her hands around his snout. He has no mouth to open and close but it seems to work because he settles down and she gets a moment to speak.

"Are you two always like this now?"

Risu goes to reply but she shushes him. 

"I'm living in a new place for a little bit," she comments, "I'm sure you noticed that the Hungry Bug is…" she can't bring herself to say it, not yet.

It's gone.

Asu pulls her hands away and his expressionless face feels grim. He gently strokes her hair, short as it was the day she met Kaiman, before he trails his hand and rubs her forehead.

She swats his hand away but leans against him nevertheless. It's not even a hug so much as it is just resting. She feels like the whole world keeps getting set on her shoulders. More and more worlds, all with these burdens that she can't take care of yet.

Oh to be a devil again and to not worry about anything anymore…

Risu gets up and hovers, awkward. At least that's something that's stayed the same.

In fact, she reflects, with them both becoming devils she wonders how infrequent their visits will become. Devils were made for the sorcerer's world, not for the Hole, and their place was in Hell where they were most comfortable.

She appreciates their visit and she never wants them to go away forever, even if their two devilish personalities are going to grate on her nerves after a while… Well. She loves them both, in their own little and large ways. To see them go would add just another world on her shoulders, something else to bend her back and make it harder to get up again.

Nikaido genuinely hugs Asu now, tucking her hands inside of his robes. He leans his head against her’s, exhaling deeply.

"Tell me what's on your mind," he says.

Nikaido laughs weakly. "You know what I'm thinking."

"Tell me anyway."

She looks over at Risu, watching him as he settles down besides them, leaning his head against her thigh.

"With you both as devils, it means you won't be coming to the Hole much anymore." It's a statement, not a question. It's the truth after all. There are no physical limitations holding them from staying in the Hole but she knows that it's no place for devils. They'd become too bored.

"That's true," Asu replies, petting her hair. "Doesn't mean we won't be coming to this shithole anyway.”

"For as long as you're alive, we'll be here," Risu says and Nikaido feels a rush of emotion fill her face.

She pulls from Asu's chest and looks down at Risu with a pleading face, feeling herself fighting back tears. "Promise me," she demands and he instantly lifts a large, double-handed claw.

They latch pinkies and Asu holds his as well, which she hooks with her other hand.

"It's a devil's promise."

#### 4.

**Kaiman** lets out a long, jaw-aching yawn. He scratches his stomach and cracks open an eye, looking over at Risu who's stretched out next to him. He lifts his arms and rests his head in his palms, feeling the sawed off nubs of his spikes against his fingers.

"Oi, Risu." 

He mimics Kaiman: a yawn and a stretch. "Hm?" He tilts his large head and turns all four eyes to him.

"I wanted to thank you," he starts and gets the wind knocked out of him as Risu swiftly gets up and plants his hands onto his chest. "Risu!"

He peers down at him, four eyes held wide and his head tilting around like a curious bird. "You're Kaiman, right?"

"Get off me! You're too heavy!" Kaiman gasps, feeling the devil's large claws dig into his chest.

"Okay, you're Kaiman… phew!" He doesn't relent until Kaiman slaps him on the arm several times over and he finally moves, taking all his weight off of Kaiman's chest at last. He flops onto his back, stretching out like a cat, and lounges next to him.

The sun is out, a warm summer day in the Hole, and Kaiman can feel the rays soaking deep into his scaly face. He exhales deeply and they both lay there for a moment in silence, enjoying the sun again.

"Why were you thanking me again?" Risu cuts back in suddenly.

"I was _trying_ to say that I'm glad you're still visiting us, even after changing into a devil." Kaiman scratches along his snout, trying to quell the tightness that's invading his chest.

"I mean I'd rather you live in the sorcerer's world with us… it'd be a whole lot better than this shithole. Literally! It's just awful here, Kaiman. But…" Risu rolls onto his side and props his large head in his large hand, "I like you guys enough to deal with it, I guess."

"Thanks.” Kaiman rolls his eyes before closing them, enjoying the heat that beats down on him. Sometimes Kaiman wonders how much of the reptile magic that's shaped him has also shaped the way he feels and experiences things. Being up on the hot roof of his home would have been fine but he can't deny that it feels much better with scales. Even if it's just a little bit of them.

He wonders how much of that is similar in Risu's case as well. He turns to look at him.

"How's it like being a devil?" He asks.

Risu hums. "Honestly? Incredible. When Curse had first joined me, after my resurrection, it was so the most terrifying but exciting time of my life. I had magic, I was a real fucking sorcerer!" He stands up suddenly and stretches his hands up into the air. He lets out a wail and Kaiman claps his hands over the sides of his head, trying his best to block out the hellish sound.

He settles just as quickly as he starts and continues. "And things settled as Curse and I became accustomed to each other. Less of it taking over me with threat nearby no matter what and more of a mutual partnership. You have no idea, dude. I told Aikawa… you, whatever. I know you know a bit about my past but you have no idea how good it felt to know I was powerful."

Kaiman nods, resting his chin in his hand.

"And then Asu started training me as a devil and I just became more powerful? It's…" he taps two fingers against his "chin" in thought, "It's unbelievable to think that a fuck-up like me is a devil now."

Before Kaiman can reply he continues with, "Asu thinks I make a pretty good devil and y'know Asu, he'll tell the truth no matter what!" He chuckles.

"How are you and Asu doing anyway?" Kaiman smirks.

"We're cool! The devil orgies we go to are so hot you have no idea!"

Kaiman chokes, "Orgies?"

"Yea! You know, like group sex."

"Stop, stop, stop!" He holds his head and shakes it in annoyance. "I want to know about you and Asu, not you and Asu and every other devil!"

"We're good, the sex--"

"Not your sex life!"

"Oh, you're being boring…" Risu huffs but after a pause he says, "I'm grateful I did this with him… I'm glad we can spend our lives together as devils…"

Risu sits down before him, large cloak billowing. "Speaking of relationships, have things gotten easier between you and Dokuga?"

Kaiman sighs. Why were devils so nosy? He doesn't even have to ask to know how Risu knows about that but does so anyway. "How do you know about that?"

He chuckles. "You know I'm all-knowing now!"

He hums, unamused. "All-knowing" meant that he heard it from Asu who heard it from Nikaido. Why did he actively talk about his issues with devils anyway? And devil-adjacent? It was never worth it.

"C'mon Kaiman, tell me!" Risu begs, clasping his hands together and shaking them at him.

"It's fine now."

"Just fine?"

"Just fine." Kaiman nods, crossing his arms. Risu gives him four large, pleading eyes and Kaiman groans, smacking him in the arm. "Stop looking at me like that!"

"Tell me!" 

He sighs. "Fine, fine."

Kaiman thinks about it. Risu goes to say something but stops himself, letting Kaiman continue, "It's… good. We work together and it's actually… kind of enjoyable? He's not as much of a pain in the ass as I originally thought."

Risu laughs, sarcastic. "Wow! What a development." 

"Oh, shut up!" Kaiman can't help but snarl at him. "Now that things are worked out between us… I'm not sure. He's a decent dude, I guess." It feels hard to get his thoughts together and to get them out. He doesn't get why.

"You think you're gonna try to be his friend?"

Kaiman laughs and Risu laughs with him. "I'm doubting it, but who knows? We are coworkers now."

"You never know."


	8. Chapter 8

# Bonus Curse

**Nikaido** bursts out laughing.

Kaiman tugs his shirt down and huffs sharply, planting a fist onto his hip. "Don't laugh at me!"

"I'm not laughing at you! Just… what you're wearing and how you're wearing it and this whole situation!" She can't help herself from laughing again, looking at her best friend wearing cut jean shorts and a white t-shirt that clings to him because of the knot in the back. "Who thought of this?"

"It was Asu's idea…" Kaiman says with a pause, before he smacks himself in the face. "Why did I listen to him?"

She sees Asu off in the distance wearing a large trench coat and trying to look incognito. He's giving a thumbs up. She doesn't mind either way, it's all in good fun and for a good cause… she just isn't sure how viable it is just yet.

A carwash fundraiser? In the Hole?

She supposes it could work. 

The Hole isn't known for being in good shape, in many regards but specifically economically. But there are layers of wealth just like anywhere else. Maybe not to the obscene amounts that En has, but enough to give some luxury over others. 

So they settle in a lot on the finer side of the city where the streets are wider and the buildings not as tall and they set up their little wash. The area has more cars than her side of things and hopefully they're not too rusted out or in poor shape.

Nikaido claps her hands together and beckons them all to join her. All in all, it's Tetsujo, Kaiman, and Dokuga, along with a few stragglers like Thirteen and Vaux, of all people. "Alright, so here's the idea!" A car drives past them and she points. "Don't bother them too much about stopping but let's attract some customers! A normal wash is a thousand yen and a sensual one is twenty-five hundred, okay?"

"Why did I agree to this?" Nikaido catches Dokuga muttering to Tetsujo.

"Because you want more gyoza," Tetsujo responds which causes Dokuga to sigh and nod.

It's true that everyone was missing the gyoza pretty badly. She'd been able to keep Kaiman at bay by making them at his place when she came to visit, or giving him some when he went to visit her, but… her customers are restless! She misses being able to feed them, to hear the praise! She misses using her large steamer, totally lost in the fight, and she misses prepping the filling in bulk.

She misses the Hungry Bug so much it almost hurts.

She hands Thirteen a sign that reads the two prices and Dokuga a sign that says, "Car Wash For Hungry Bug! Pick your person!" and she sets them to work.

The first thing she notices is that Kaiman is getting too many customers. It's shocking, actually, that so many cars are pulling up into the lot they've secured, and even more shocking that they all seem to want to go to Kaiman.

Several pull over to Vaux and the remainder go to Tetsujo, who smiles his charming little smile. She can see, even from across the lot, his ears burning bright red as the person in the car hands him the money and he gets to work. He gives the car an initial spray down and leans heavily onto the hood to get the other side, coming off with his t-shirt soaked.

Nikaido keeps an eye on him as she tries to convince some of the other cars to wait for Vaux or Tetsujo. In the end she offers to do it for them which gets her quite a few takers and she motions for them to pull up beside Tetsujo's marked space.

From over the hood of a large truck she can see Tetsujo finishing, his ears back to normal but his forehead dotted with sweat. He's rolled up his sleeves and tied them into place, showing off his muscular build better, and as the person pulls around and out, they toss him a few extra coins and wave off excitedly.

"What wash would you like?" she asks, smiling at the man in the car.

"A normal one for me, thank you," he replies and gives her the bills. Nikaido diligently puts them away in the lock box tied to her waist and gets to work.

She would have just spent the time delegating and picking up the extra money but… she can't say she's opposed to helping do the main work too! As she foams up the doors, stretching high up to reach over the windows, pressing her chest against the glass, she can't help herself but put on a little show.

It might have been from her time as a devil or the cool water from their set up that felt nice against the summer sun, she isn't sure, but she definitely gives him more than he asked.

When she finishes, the man gives her double what he originally had and pulls out slowly, his face red.

She does one more, and then another after that, and suddenly she finds herself without any more customers to work with. In fact, besides the last two cars besides Kaiman, it seems that they had tapered out of customers.

She looks at the sky and realizes with a sinking dread that it's not even halfway between noon and dusk.

Nikaido jogs out to the street, looping past the wood and chainlink fence, and is startled to see Thirteen half-heartedly waving his sign, looking bored out of his mind. To her left is Dokuga, hiding from their field of vision by the fence, who looks like he's eaten a whole lemon. His face is squished tight and his mouth is a narrow line.

"What's gotten into you two?" she yells, throwing her hands in the air.

Dokuga pointedly looks at her chest, blushes, and quickly looks away.

"Sorry Nikaido," Thirteen sighs deeply, "It's just hot over here, is all."

She turns to him and shakes her head. "Do you wanna trade with Vaux?" 

Thirteen's lips draw into a grim, straight line. "Honestly, not really."

"Well, let me take your place while you take a break, how about that?"

He nods and they trade off.

She raises the sign up and calls at the cars driving by. Dokuga waves his sign too, definitely lackluster compared to her attempts. She watches him, doing the same motions as her but his face looks so bitter and tired.

"Dokuga, you look upset."

The sour face drops immediately as he looks at her curiously, "Hmm? I'm not upset."

Before she can go on, a car pulls up to them, pulling forward enough so the driver can speak directly to Dokuga. "Hey."

Dokuga stares at them.

"Hey," Nikaido fills in for him, stepping over towards the car, "How can we help you?"

"Oh! Well, I was just wondering if this handsome guy here was gonna do any of the washing today," they say, looking rather seriously at Dokuga.

None of them speak for a long moment before Nikaido steps besides him and tilts her head curiously, "What do you say? In the mood to do a wash?"

There's a moment where he doesn't respond, looking at the driver seriously, before he nods, "Sure."

Nikaido finds herself following Dokuga as he props the sign against the fence and heads towards the spot where Kaiman is working. The others have noticed too, and everyone watches as Dokuga instructs Kaiman that he's taking over.

"Dokuga, are you sure?" She asks and pulls at Kaiman's arm, stopping him from getting in the way as Dokuga motions for the car to pull up.

"It's okay," he says and gives the weakest smile she's ever seen in her life.

"What's going on?" Kaiman asks and before they know it, Dokuga is pulling his hoodie up over his head and tossing it aside. "Nikaido!" Kaiman continues as the group of them watch as he accepts the money from the driver and sets to work.

She smiles, crossing her arms over her damp chest. "I'm not sure but let him do it!"

He has a loose white shirt underneath, which he ties a little tighter with a knot to the side, and as he picks up the hose to start, Asu yells, "Lose the pants!"

Dokuga sputters, face bright red, and Nikaido turns to them, seeing not just Asu but Tetsujo, Vaux, and Thirteen grouped together. The three of them attempt to wrangle the devil in but he just bursts into a fit of laughter that only gets more powerful and dramatic when Dokuga accidentally sprays himself in the face with the hose.

His face is so red that Nikaido wonders if he'll be okay after this. 

Dokuga starts. The motions are small and slow at first, his posture trying to be strong but a meekness keeping him from being totally in control. Nikaido hangs back and a part of her feels pity that he's even attempting it. His heart obviously isn't in it. She doesn't entirely get it but she does appreciate the attempt, in a way.

After this is over she thinks she'll treat him to dinner, just for trying.

"C'mon cutie!" the driver leans out the window and smiles at him, "Give me a little more life!"

Dokuga exhales deeply before he nods, doing a weak attempt at a dance that falls completely flat.

Asu is still laughing and, as Nikaido turns to chastise him, she sees Tetsujo jab the devil in the side. He attempts to stop but ends up teleporting away. 

She turns back and does a double-take, watching as Kaiman leans against the car and peers inside the carriage, other hand on his jutting hip. She can hear him, just barely, saying, "Hey, would you be interested in me joining my friend?" in a low, deep voice.

Oh, he's bringing out the big guns, she realizes. She squints at the two, startled with the revelation that he's being sensual in the attempts to help _Dokuga_ of all people. She had heard from him that they were warming up but to think Kaiman would go out of his way to help him?

Color her surprised.

"What do you plan to do?" the person seems curious, if not a little hesitant, leaning closer towards Kaiman. 

"Just going to help my friend here," he turns to Dokuga who watches with wide eyes, "The two of us can give a show,"

"Kaiman…" Dokuga starts but Kaiman holds up a hand to shush him.

"Trust me?" They look at each other and the air draws still. It's thick from the humidity but Nikaido thinks it's more because of the tension because after Dokuga nods, the thickness to the air suddenly cuts and she can breath again.

Dokuga stiffens sharply as Kaiman picks him up from under the armpits, telling him to trust him again, before he sets him on the hood of the truck. He looks at Kaiman with a helpless sort of gaze before Kaiman motions for him to spread his legs.

He sighs sharply before doing as he's instructed. Kaiman stands by the passenger side and leans through the window, pulling something out. "Start washing the windshield,"

Dokuga follows, looking a little more relaxed and in control, and he slowly washes up and down the windshield. His white pants are starting to get wet from the soapy water in the large sponge he holds and Nikaido can't help herself but watch, totally entranced.

Kaiman stows something into his back pocket and steps over to grab the hose. "Get ready, Dokuga,"

The man looks and suddenly tightens, bracing himself.

Kaiman sprays the windshield, soaking Dokuga through while he's at it. He grins, wide and excited, and Nikaido notices Dokuga's shirt and pants cling to his body. She thinks Dokuga looks like a drenched cat but the person in the car must be getting a different perspective because they're grinning from ear to ear.

He helps him down from the hood and Kaiman goes around the to side, throwing his long leg up onto the edge of the truck's bed, and tells Dokuga to come over. "Wash around me,"

Dokuga acts dutifully and washes the tires and along the side, pausing as he reaches Kaiman's outstretched leg before he ducks under and shuffles past him. He reaches up, not moving from his crouched position, and with a long, stretching movement, runs the soapy sponge from the side of the car, across Kaiman's sandals, and up his bare leg. Dokuga stands and leans into him.

Kaiman prickles but doesn't react much more.

Nikaido holds her breath.

The owner of the car, leaning out the window, hollars in excitement.

Tetsujo steps up beside her and says, "Dokuga?" His body is a tight line but he starts to waver, like a blade of grass in a slight breeze. He doesn't speak any further.

Dokuga stops and lowers his hands at Kaiman's hip, looking up at him with a solid face. Nikaido can see his eyes waver even from her spot in the distance and suddenly his face blooms into a blush and he steps back, gripping the sponge between his tight fists. "I don't… Sorry,"

Kaiman grins, sharp and a little awkward, "Don't sweat it,"

They watch each other for a moment; it feels like ages to her, seconds clicking by like minutes, before Dokuga steps over to resoap the sponge and hurriedly finishes the rest of the car. Kaiman follows his lead, doing a little dance to at least appease the customer.

Nikaido watches as the driver leaves, looking pleased as pie, and Kaiman steps up beside her. He hands her a wallet and she looks up at him with a tilt of her head. When had he gotten that?

"What was that?" she asks.

"Hm? Nothing, just helping him out." He replies and she can tell he's avoiding the subject.

"No, I mean…" Nikaido watches him, his hard posture and the way he watches Dokuga wring his pants out and slip his hoodie back on with a guarded look in his eyes. "He's warmed up to you," she elects to say instead.

"A little, yea."

"Because you work together now?"

"Could be."

She leaves it at that. Instead, she heads off to the others to gather the funds collected so far.


	9. Chapter 9

# Part Five

#### 1.

**Dokuga** doesn't get it.

He sits on the bench outside a deli, eating his sandwich, and he thinks of Tetsujo. He hasn't seen him in a little while, probably not since the fundraiser. The days he's at the apartment he stays to his room and leaves early, other days he's staying with Thirteen. Dokuga wonders what caused things to change.

He just doesn't get it. Thirteen really annoys him, he realizes upon reflection. He doesn't say anything for fear of upsetting the most important person to him but he has trouble imagining what Tetsujo sees in the man. He doesn't even really know Tetsujo's type; in fact all he's ever known is Tetsujo being single and seemingly happy being so.

It's all very strange to him.

A door appears, the dust from the road billowing out, and he sets his sandwich down on the paper it came wrapped in. He sets it aside and stands, ready to fight off any unwanted sorcerers, but untenses cautiously as a young girl steps out.

Her hair is wild and spiking out, bright intense purple like her eyes. She looks around, shifting her backpack up, before she spots him and freezes. Despite the door, she appears just like any other human, even wearing an "I LOVE HOLE" shirt.

Dokuga instantly recognizes her even though he's never seen her face before. It's that girl that's a part of the En family, the one who he accompanied right before everything went totally to hell. He freezes just as she does and they both stare at each other.

The door vanishes.

"You're--"

"Kaiko!" She steps over to him quickly, basically bouncing across the road to reach him. 

"What are you doing here?" She giggles a little as she speaks, tilting her head and looking around with exaggeration.

He hesitates, watching her. He tries to parse an intention or a cause for her being in the Hole but comes up with nothing, so he sighs very softly and pulls his mask up from its resting spot under his chin. "I never left the Hole after the events that happened in the central store."

She nods and hums three low notes, one after the other, thinking, "I see, I see."

Dokuga watches her suspiciously. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh!" she laughs again, "I'm sight-seeing!"

"What is there to see in the Hole?" he asks and she sighs in response, wagging her finger at him.

"You're the one who stayed here! You should know! Idiot…" The girl sighs again. "Come with me, little Kaiko, I'll show you around."

Good thing it's his day off because he grabs his sandwich and follows after her.

"How have you been, uh…" Dokuga flounders.

"Master," she supplements and he scoffs, not in the mood to play around. 

"... I'm Ebisu," she finally tacks on.

"How have you been, Ebisu?" It's weird, he thinks, that the little sorcerer that had tricked him is now here being friendly with him. And that he was being friendly right back. The Hole has done some strange things to him, at least that's his excuse.

She twists her feet around in the dirt and angles her head up to him. He realizes how small she is, probably fifteen at oldest, and he wonders why En has such a young member. "Fine, fine," her somber tone is cut suddenly by a small laugh and she smiles at him. "Lots of free time now, wanted to see what Hole was about."

He hums and jerks his hand away suddenly when she reaches over to grasp it. He watches her, confused, before feeling his chest tighten at the sad look on her face. He tries desperately to think of a way to make it up to her and instead of grabbing her hand, he kneels, patting his shoulders.

She climbs up in excitement before pointing forward, ordering him to go that way.

"Where are we going?" he asks her and Ebisu rests her head on top of his. He tries not to disturb her but can't help but prickle at the contact. She doesn't seem to notice.

She hums, directing him to turn. 

"Art gallery," she finally responds.

He's never been to this part of the Hole and he wonders how she even learned about this stuff. She leads them through the various blocks, past towering buildings and by large air conditioning units that whirl their manic fans.

He finally steps up to what he believes she's been leading them to and he kneels down, letting her get off his shoulders.

"We're here!" She throws her hands out and towards the building, which he eyes with a critical look.

It's a large building made of raw concrete, tall and jutting with sharp lines. It's not as tall as the other buildings around it and it definitely looks newer than everything else around. He wonders how much it cost to construct and realizes suddenly that this is something of wealth.

He stares.

They step inside and Ebisu pays for both their entries, giggling at how poor Dokuga is. He ignores her, much like he's ignored everyone else in his life that's commented on his status, but catches himself following her up to the first piece in the gallery.

It's a large piece built into the wall that he watches various other attendees walking across. There's a large hole in one of the walls of the piece that Ebisu peeks her head through before eventually crawling through entirely. Shallow, curved steps lead up to the hole and on either side are tall, crooked walls, also made from concrete similar to the outside.

The methodical lines of the walls and the way they're laid out makes his brain feel funny. He enjoys looking at it.

Dokuga takes a seat on the provided bench, watching as Ebisu explores the various parts of the installation. Before he knows it, she's stepping up to him and sits heavily down besides him.

"Not having fun?" she asks and he watches her with a tilt of his head.

"I think you're misunderstanding how to enjoy art," he finally says and smiles just a little from under his mask as she gives him an appalled look.

"I know how to enjoy art!" She puffs her chest, "They just do it differently in Hole."

He hums. "They do a lot of things differently in the Hole."

She cackles, "So true!" She turns her big eyes to him, watching him carefully. "Why did you stay here?"

He doesn't know how to respond. Why did he stay? Well, obviously it's because they were trapped, unable to summon a door of their own, too injured and weak to be able to fight anyone off to claim one. And with the manifestation of Holey and construction of the Holey cult… many sorcerers didn't dare come to the Hole anymore anyway.

"I got stuck here," he starts and chews his lip behind his mask. He looks up at the piece of art in front of them and the harsh lines and hard, cold material it's made of. He thinks it exemplifies the Hole perfectly. Cold and harsh but sturdy and reliable and has a beauty that you can only see if you look for something different about it.

"But… my friends are here." He thinks of Tetsujo, who seems to be avoiding him, "And I'm making new friends here," he thinks of Kaiman and the way his hands felt so firm and steady when lifting him. "Plus… I can't go back to the sorcerer's world. I'm not made for that world anyway."

She taps her chin and kicks her feet against the floor, "I think you're made for Hole," she jumps up, looking at him with this intensity that surprises him. "You're doing good here, right?"

He nods.

Ebisu smiles, small and simple. "That's the reason why you stayed! I'm happy for my little Kaiko."

"Dokuga," he comments and she tilts her head in response. "My name's Dokuga."

#### 2.

**Tetsujo** 's heart hammers in his chest as he sits down next to Dokuga at the dining table. He tries to steady his nerves by clasping his hands together but feels a pathetic spike drive through him as he watches them tremble in their place on the table.

Dokuga looks at him with big, concerned eyes, and Tetsujo hates himself in that moment. He hates worrying people, especially Dokuga of all people… but what he wants to say needs to be said, before he goes crazy.

He's in love with Dokuga. He hates to even think it, what with the circumstances. He's even known for a while too, which makes the guilt worse.

"Tell me what's going on," Dokuga starts. How desperately Tetsujo wishes he'd put his hand out in a sign of comfort, some sort of landline in this mess. He won't, Tetsujo knows, but how strongly he wishes.

He lets out a nervous sigh, and takes a hard gulp to try and settle his stomach. It doesn't help but he steels up and charges on. "I… I don't know how to say it."

Dokuga watches without a word, letting him take his time to speak. He really was… so important to him. Enough to make him want to ruin everything and tell him. So kind, so patient, so interesting...

Tetsujo's stomach is so knotted he feels sick. Keep going, he tells himself, just say it. "I've been thinking about it for… a while." 

Years… 

"And."

Dokuga's eyes meet his one and he places his face into his hand, letting out a shuddering, wet breath. Tears well in his eye and he groans in agony. It's too hard, he can't do this. He has to do this.

He has to do this. He has to say something.

"I'm in love with you," the words come out with ease but maybe too easy, because suddenly his whole body feels hollow, like every organ inside him was tied at the tail of "you" and pulled out the moment he finished his utterance. He shakes and forces himself still, wiping the tears on his cheek. He stares down at the table, too scared to look up.

Dokuga is quiet for a long moment and Tetsujo is forced to peek from the tension. He looks down at the table, thoughtful, his mouth pinched in a straight line. He's thinking hard and it sets Tetsujo even more on edge.

Finally, he looks up. They make eye contact.

Tetsujo's heart sinks as Dokuga looks at him full of sorrow, his eyes wide and reflective and wet.

"I," he licks his lips, "I'm sorry."

Tetsujo exhales deeply, his lungs shrinking and shrinking and shrinking until he's entirely empty. He leans back in his chair and tries to smile. He fails.

Dokuga sits up a little straighter and clasps his hands together, "I'm sorry," he repeats, "I don't feel that way towards you… I love you, don't misunderstand… you're my best friend, my family. But I want you to stay like that, my family… my best friend. I'm sorry I can't give you what you want, I would if I could, I really would."

Tetsujo nods.

He sighs. "Is that why you were ignoring me?"

Tetsujo freezes up and feels his face grow warm. He noticed… "Yea," he admits, "I couldn't handle seeing you and you not knowing."

"Tetsujo… I'm sorry." He does reach across the table this time and Tetsujo finds himself reacting in surprise, questioning the outstretched hand. He never would have thought he would actually… want to physically comfort him.

He reaches for it anyway and they hold hands for a long, quiet moment. Tetsujo stares at the flowers on the table, something that Dokuga has picked up a habit of buying, and he rests his cheek against his open palm, looking at him solemnly.

"I should be apologizing… I'm dating Thirteen, I shouldn't be saying these things."

"Are you attracted to him at all?" Dokuga asks back. 

Tetsujo sighs at this and thinks about it. His instinct is to say yes, of course. But as he looks deeper into his heart he isn't so sure. "I think I could learn to love him," he concludes and Dokuga nods, understanding.

"I trust you with my life, y'know," Dokuga adds, "I don't feel that way with anyone else. You’ll always be important to me."

"You'll always be important to me too," Tetsujo feels tears well in his eye and he fights them off, allowing the eye to gloss before letting the tears soak back in.

"And…" Dokuga sighs, "It's not easy, is it?"

"No," he admits, "This really sucks."

"I know…"

They sit quietly, watching each other before Tetsujo draws his hand away. He sits straight in his chair, looking at Dokuga resolutely. "I'll get over it, I promise you."

"Tetsujo…" he frowns and it's the saddest facial expression Tetsujo has seen on him in a year, "I believe you'll find someone."

He nods. If only he could believe that...

#### 3.

**Nikaido** smiles and hugs Yakumo tightly. She cherishes the feeling of the older woman close to her chest, the strength in her shoulders, and the lively laugh she gives out when Nikaido takes too long to let go.

"It's great to see you again!"

Nikaido nods and smiles, her eyes feeling wet. She wonders when it'll stop feeling so overwhelming to see Yakumo again. She's hoping within a few months because--

"I was thinking of spending some time in the Hole," 

She practically jumps at the suggestion. "Spend time in the Hole?" she asks, bewildered but quietly excited. There was a lot that she liked living in the Hole, especially now that sorcerers were less inclined to come and harm the humans there. But the idea of sorcerers coming to visit… Well, that was something she had never considered.

Yakumo smiles and nods as she takes a seat at the outside cafe table, crossing a leg and stretching her arms behind her head. "You know! It's interesting here."

She quirks a brow.

"You're the one who lives here! A sorcerer in the Hole seems weird but I dunno! Sounds like fun. Seems pretty tough to live here and I'm kind of interested in the sorta fights you see," she grins and jabs at Nikaido's ribs.

She laughs, lightly smacking her hand against her arm, "Don't say that! You'll have a Holey figure on you in no time."

"Oh hm, true." One of the wait staff comes over and they order drinks, breaking Yakumo's concentration. 

"But really though! Are you actually thinking of coming to the Hole more?" Nikaido pushes. The woman was practically a sister to her, her best friend when they were kids. The woman who taught her how to fight and gave her that fire.

To have her be around… It's a dream come true.

Yakumo takes her drink and sips thoughtfully. "To visit I think, yea. You know, Nikaido," her voice is warm and with a slight rumble to it as she says her name, "I never knew I could find gyoza as good as my granny's until I had yours. It tastes just like her's, maybe even better."

Nikaido feels a warmth fill her, like ink spilling across parchment. It drips across her until her whole body feels tender and warm.

"If I'm honest, Asu made me really interested in you." Yakumo rests her head against her hand, the other one fiddling with her straw.

Her stomach tightens. "How so?"

"Oh, y'know, like how you were a devil but aren't anymore. Before he retook his test, he was really adamant about you being someone I could talk with about that. I really was considering doing the exam but something in me told me that I didn't need it. I'm not afraid to die, I think it has something to do with my smoke." She seems thoughtful.

Nikaido lets her continue.

"I can fly and I've been in a lot of situations in my life where it's been 'use my smoke or die.' It's good to have the ability to run, even if I do like the fight more," she smirks, "But to be a devil? Where every fight I get into means I win no matter what? Or, at the very least, I can't die?" She shakes her head, taking a sip, "That's not how it works. If I can't lose then where's the fun?"

Nikaido shakes her head with a smile. Tenacious Yakumo. "I see what you mean. I didn't stop being a devil by my own choice, I'm sorry to say."

She quirks her head.

"My magic manifested in… a box. And after all the uses were taken, I had no more magic so my body couldn't support being a devil anymore."

Yakumo seems disappointed. Nikaido reflects on how her face now reminds her of her face then, when they were kids, still young and together before everything fell apart. Yakumo looking on in disappointment as Kawajiri left for his devil training…

Nikaido’s missed her dearly.

"I'm not saying I miss it!" She defends quickly, "Being a devil is exhilarating and so much fun. You have no worries, no attachments, no fear… but I'm glad to be back to normal." Nikaido sips her coffee, "I… appreciate the things I had given up. You mention running from a fight you can't win, doesn't that bug you?"

Yakumo nods.

"But that fear keeps you alive for another day. You feel that anger over not being able to win and that motivates you to try to get stronger, right?"

Another nod.

"You don't get that as a devil. It's a wonderful life with lots of fun and excitement, I'm sure, but… you're stagnant. You don't change because there's nothing to improve. You just are and continue to be."

Yakumo laughs and shakes her head, "You have a point…" Her face grows serious, "Look, Nikaido."

She watches as she unties her hair and ruffles it loose.

"I've noticed you talk to me like you already know me." 

Nikaido's stomach drops.

"And I've noticed that my heart seems to know you too… What sort of magic _did_ you have?" Yakumo’s eyes are serious and hard on her, scrutinizing.

She sits quietly for one moment, then two, before she sighs and looks at her with tender eyes. She can't stop herself, reaching out and motioning for her to hold her hand. Yakumo complies and Nikaido starts with, "I don't know if you saw, but I was En's partner for a little while a few years ago."

She perks at that. "I had no idea."

"The reason behind that is because I used to be able to control time." Yakumo perks up again. "And the reason why I live in the Hole is because… when I was younger I had killed you with my magic and couldn't stand living as a sorcerer."

Yakumo leans back, looking down in hard concentration. Finally, she responds, "But... I'm alive."

"I had no control over when I'd travel until Asu helped me learn to control it. I had used all my smoke to create my box, the one I mentioned earlier, and I went back and I undid the damage I had done to you." Nikaido is firm as she says it, gripping tight onto Yakumo's hardened hand.

She moves her mouth back and forth in thought, watching her with scrutiny. "So… how did you know me?"

Nikaido holds her breath, then exhales in a long rush."We were best friends… sisters, in a way."

"Sisters?" Yakumo yells and a bird that's been scrounging nearby flutters off in terror. Before Nikaido can even react she grasps her other hand and shakes her excitedly, "Sisters! I always wanted a sister!"

She smiles.

"Nikaido," she looks her dead in the eyes, mouth firm, brow serious, "We have a lot to catch up on."

Nikaido squeezes her eyes shut and smiles the biggest smile she's had in the longest time. She grasps at her hands and squeezes just as hard. "A lot of time has passed, huh?"

#### 4.

**Kaiman** grins, besides himself, as he pours Dokuga another glass of whiskey. He finds himself completely blown away by Dokuga, who is keeping pace with him. They had to be four drinks in and Kaiman's head is feeling light but there he is, a whole foot smaller than him and he must have been over a hundred pounds lighter, following him from drink to drink like it's nothing.

Kaiman is impressed.

Dokuga drinks it slowly, keeping a hand protectively around the rim of the glass. He smiles at Kaiman in a loose way he's never seen before. He leans against the counter and rests a hand against his arm. He lets out a breathy laugh, still as almost as reserved as the day Kaiman first saw him.

He's lightening up however, something Kaiman's enjoying the journey of.

"Did you know there's a bar in the sorcerer's world that's totally dark. Like, completely blacked out. Can't see a damn thing."

"Why would anyone wanna go to a bar like that?" Kaiman replies in skepticism.

"Well," Dokuga taps Kaiman's hand, "Because the whole point is to go there an’ let things out in secret. The rules are no names, no preaching, no advice. You just say what you have to say and know that at least some other person out there hears what you can't say to anyone else."

"Hm…" he rests his head against his hand, watching as Dokuga finishes his drink. He slams his drink in response and pours them another. The bottle they've requested is almost empty... maybe it's time to go home.

"What would you say there?" Kaiman continues.

Dokuga sighs deeply, "What's there not to say? I've murdered hundreds of my own kind," he leans his chin against his glass, "I was abandoned as a kid and picked up by this dude who experimented on me… that's how I got like this." He licks his fingertip and runs it along the rim of the glass.

He looks up and into Kaiman's eyes, serious and open and drunk off his ass. "How about you?"

He thinks. "Well… I guess I'd say that I'm me but I have weird memories of three other people who _are_ me but also not. Like… how do I even say this?" Kaiman tries hard to focus but his head is starting to swim. Maybe he shouldn't have taken that last drink too quickly.

"Kinda like, actions that you actively didn't decide on but you might have if you were in the moment?" Dokuga supplements.

He hums in thought. "Kinda, but more like: they had lives that I could have lived but I kinda didn't… if that makes sense."

Dokuga sips his drink and looks to the side, thoughtful. "It doesn't... but go on."

"I remember them… well, mostly Aikawa, but there's glimpses of Kai too. Ai is kinda like the base," Dokuga nods, "I'd say I kinda stole his body but he also is me, just like how Aikawa and Kai are also me."

"So you're like a smoothie?"

Kaiman laughs incredulously. "The hell you mean by that?"

Dokuga gives him a dead serious look. "So you're made up of multiple ingredients that are mixed together to make something new."

Kaiman laughs at that. "I'm more like gyoza filling."

Dokuga huffs his own little laugh. "Gyoza crazy."

He finishes his drink and goes to pour another but Kaiman snatches the bottle and crows a laugh at the way he pouts in return. He realizes that Dokuga, without things holding him back and with a fuller range of emotion, is actually pretty cute.

Kaiman stands abruptly and tugs at Dokuga to follow. They leave the bar and hurry outside. The bouncer at the door starts to chase after them and Dokuga speeds up ahead of him, looking back at Kaiman with wide, mirthful eyes.

In his hand is the glass he was using and behind them is a bill unpaid.

"Get back here!" The bouncer hollers.

Kaiman speeds up to run in pace with Dokuga. They both stumble and Dokuga falls, grabbing at Kaiman's hand as he goes. He falls with him and the two of them tumble through garbage and dead grass down a hill before landing in a mix of limbs.

Kaiman wails a laugh, craning his neck to look at the bouncer at the top of the hill, watching them with a comical shake of his fist. 

Dokuga shakes next to him and Kaiman looks over, amused to see him covering his mouth and laughing quietly into it. He leans against him, looking up into his eyes.

"I haven't skipped a bill in a long time," he chuckles. "Do you do this often?"

Kaiman shrugs. "Sometimes."

He raises an eyebrow.

"I wanted to have some fun with you, leave me alone." Kaiman scratches his cheek, leaning away from him.

Dokuga follows, resting against his shoulder. He laces his fingers together and rests his hands against his stomach. They sit together for a moment, resting, before Dokuga says, "You wanted to have fun? With me?"

"Well, yea," he clears his throat, feeling a tightness build in him. "You have a bit of fun in you, right?"

Dokuga doesn't respond, but he does shift around and places his hands on Kaiman's shoulders. He leans forward and presses his forehead against his own.

Kaiman's heart pounds and he gently holds onto Dokuga's waist. His other hand finds a spot at the crook of his neck and before Kaiman has a chance to even debate it, he nuzzles softly into Dokuga's hair.

Times like this makes him wish he had lips still.

"Kaiman…" Dokuga sighs.

His name draws him out of his haze and he pulls away sharply. Dokuga mimics him and looks at him with confused and hurt eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"Uhhh..." Kaiman looks up at the dark, murky sky. He doesn't think they should be doing this, his stomach says. "I'm not sure if we should do… this."

"Oh," his mouth draws tight and serious. "You're right… You're right. Sorry…"

He reaches over and rubs Dokuga's back but he's tense to the touch and gets up almost immediately. Kaiman watches dumbly as Dokuga walks himself home.


	10. Chapter 10

# Bonus Curse

**Tetsujo** feels his hands grow clammy. He squints, turning his head to look down at Thirteen who's leaning against his bare chest. "Huh?" He asks stupidly.

"We don't have a lot in common, do we?" Thirteen repeats and he's looking off in the distance, not making eye contact. His blonde hair has gotten long and shaggy, which Tetsujo thinks looks pretty decent on him. He drums his nails as he waits for Tetsujo to reply.

"Uhh..." he isn't sure what to say so he doesn't say anything. Their relationship had kind of stagnated and he thinks it's been obvious to Thirteen longer than it has for him.

Thirteen pulls up off him and sits, his face drawn deadly serious. He makes eye contact with him and they watch one another for an aching moment.

Tetsujo feels the sweat behind his ears chill. What a time to be bringing up a serious talk. "What's wrong?" He finally asks and Thirteen sighs immediately.

"Our relationship feels like it's built on nothing."

"Um…" Tetsujo realizes he desperately doesn't want to have this talk.

"Eating out and sleeping over is fine, I guess, but haven't you noticed we barely talk?"

"...I guess."

Thirteen frowns so deep it makes his typically youthful face look aged. "Can you listen to me?"

"Sorry." Tetsujo steels himself and sits up too. Thirteen shifts to allow him to cross his legs and he leans forward, watching him as intently as he can. "I guess I just never saw anything wrong with that, is all."

Tetsujo exhales deeply and continues, "I didn't know it bothered you."

"It's…" Thirteen stills, quieting. Finally, he picks back up with, "It does bother me. It feels like you don't want to share your life with me."

Thirteen motions for him to hand him his cigarettes and lighter and Tetsujo complies, reaching over to his nightstand, grabbing the carton and passing it back to him. He watches silently as Thirteen pops one between his lips, lights, and inhales. He holds it for a long moment, waiting, before he turns away from Tetsujo and exhales towards the ceiling.

Tetsujo watches him, the way his lips part and the smoke slowly spills from around his pointed teeth before his lips form a tight 'o' as he blows the smoke out. He thinks about Thirteen and what initially made him want to go out with him. It had been an impulse decision, of course, but there was something about him that he had liked at the start of everything.

He had liked the way he watched everything with this dreamy sort of coolness. The tattoos on his face and the body modifications to his teeth made him seem confident and sexy in a way. He had a soft face and he wasn't too toned which Tetsujo found himself liking more and more.

But, as he watches Thirteen's mouth as he keeps smoking through the silence, he realizes that a lot of these things were close to why he liked Dokuga too.

They had known each other much longer, of course, but he liked Dokuga for his soft features, his apparent coolness in all situations, and, before everything with the boss, he had even followed Dokuga's lead with the tattoos because he liked them so much.

Tetsujo feels guilt so powerful it makes him sick. He closes his throat up and after a still moment, he exhales and says, "I'm sorry."

Thirteen takes another drag, sits on it for a long breath, before he exhales it to the ceiling again. Tetsujo looks at him, the way he looks almost sullenly upwards. He tries to conjure in his mind why he's stuck around with him and the first thing he remembers is protecting him from the mugger.

He feels the closest to him when protecting him from danger. He thinks that it's okay to start with that.

"What do you want to know?"

Thirteen thinks. "Why did you stay in the Hole?"

Because they couldn't go back. Because Dokuga wanted to stay.

"Because… there's nothing left in the sorcerer's world for me," Tetsujo sighs.

Thirteen leans back against the headboard of his bed and presses his cigarette down into the ashtray. He folds his hands over his bare stomach and looks at him thoughtfully. "Nothing at all?"

Tetsujo can't help himself from drawing a grim face as he leans back as well. He notes his hands are still clammy. "Everything I've ever loved is dead or in the Hole now and… I… I can't go back because of what I did there."

Tetsujo doesn't even know if he should tell this to Thirteen but can't stop himself. The words tumble out of him like marbles out of a cloth bag, clattering across the floor. "My boss," he squints, "made me do horrible things there. My hands are red with the blood of sorcerers. I'm not welcome back, even without my crosses."

"Why did he make you do that?"

And Tetsujo finally understands. He's shared absolutely nothing with Thirteen. The guilt in his stomach hardens into a rock so heavy he feels himself sink into the bed. He feels, inexplicably exhausted, but he turns to Thirteen anyway and gently pushes his hair out of his face.

And he tells him everything.


	11. Chapter 11

# Part Six

#### 1.

**Dokuga** follows after Nikaido, his hands tucked into his pockets. It's started getting colder out, and even Nikaido is wrapped up in a jacket of her own.

"Where are we going?" He asks and meanders to her side.

Nikaido grins at him, waving to him to continue following her. "Trust me!"

He shifts, trailing, and he realizes that instead of the sense of dread that typically fills him, he’s drifting to a reserved sort of excitement. There's something about Nikaido that Dokuga respects. Maybe it's her kindness to others or her tenacious spirit, he's not sure, but there's something about her that makes him feel like he's in the right company.

They coast along the road, walking for maybe five minutes which definitely feels like twenty, before Nikaido stops, points, and hurries across the street. 

Dokuga goes to follow but stops when a bicyclist speeds by him. He sighs heavily, looking down the street before turning back to look where Nikaido has gone. 

Across the street is a food truck with a muted yellow color scheme. It's something he's never seen before and he curiously approaches, fingering the change bag in his pocket. As he gets closer, he can smell it; warm and like nothing he's ever had before.

Nikaido takes something from the vendor and turns to him, smiling a bright, wide smile. "Here!" she hands one to him as he makes it to her side and he grabs it, holding onto the skewer it’s on curiously. 

He smells it, looks it over, before he asks, "What is it?"

"It's corn!" Nikaido says she buys her own. "It's got mayonnaise and chili powder and cheese on it too," she licks some of the mayonnaise off and smacks her lips.

Dokuga doesn't know how to approach it at first, looking at it curiously. He's had canned corn in the sorcerer's world but never anything like this. He realizes in a jolt that he should probably take something before eating and he motions for her to hold it while he digs through his bag.

He takes out his serum and takes a small sip, washing it around his mouth, before swallowing. It's bitter but he doesn't wince anymore. Kasukabe has given him enough and more, something Dokuga actually finds himself grateful for. He had been uneasy at first but with a lot of coaxing from Tetsujo, he finds himself… actually really enjoying the use of it and the process of eating food.

It isn't some rare occasion thing anymore. He knows he can use it as much and as frequently as he wants, as long as he keeps enough on hand.

He puts the vial away and takes it back, noticing how intently Nikaido watches him. That's certainly not something he'll get used to. But she relents and looks away, taking a hard bite into the ear of corn.

He follows her lead and takes a bite, blinking curiously as he chews. It’s sweet and tart and when he swallows his mouth starts to burn just a little from the chili powder. He takes another bite, chewing, swallowing… he looks at Nikaido, who is curiously watching him from the corner of her eye.

"It's good."

She smiles. "I'm glad you like it. Are you a fan of spicy food?"

"I dunno," he says, covering his mouth as he speaks with a mouthful of food. It's still hard to get the hang of eating around others, let alone speaking and eating. "I could never taste the spiciness, I guess? My spit just made everything taste weird and bitter."

"Well, what do you think of the street corn? Spicy enough?"

Dokuga hums. "It's good. I think I like the feeling in my mouth?" He fishes for what he's trying to describe but comes up short. "It could be spicier."

She laughs and finishes off the cob, tossing it in a large garbage can by the vendor.

"Why did you want to take me out today?"

Nikaido turns. "I think it's about time you see the sights of the Hole. It's maybe not… the best place to live, but I think there's a lot here you can appreciate!"

"I've gone to an art show here," he comments, remembering the pieces that he and Ebisu had enjoyed, "And I see plenty of the city on my routes."

"Ah, but you didn't know about this, did you?"

He tilts his head. "I guess."

"Here, follow me, there's more I want to show you."

Dokuga follows after her, still enjoying the street corn. As he bites through the sauce and spices, he looks around and takes account of the area they're in. It's as dingy as the other parts, apartments and other units stacked on top of each other in a giant wall of windows and balconies.

The air smells as polluted and smoky as all the other parts of the city, maybe a little more so because he can actually make note of it. The roads are packed with people, just like many other better off neighborhoods, and a few cars pass here and there but more bikes than anything else.

There's garbage bags lining the sidewalks as they walk by and he can sometimes see rats scurrying around. All in all, he can't say there's much beauty to appreciate, nothing compared to the rich districts of the sorcerer's world, but he can't say he minds at all either. He's lived in this sort of state for all his life, maybe in even worse states, and he does appreciate the fact that the Hole is quite a bit safer now than it had ever been.

If anything, Dokuga enjoys the people in the Hole more than those in the sorcerer's world. Maybe he really was more human than sorcerer after all. He likes hanging out with Tetsujo and Nikaido and Kaiman…

He moves his mind away from the image of the lizard shaped man.

He enjoys the people that have entered his life now; Doctor Vaux and Thirteen and the various strangers that have become regular faces to him.

He remembers the woman who always greets him at her door every morning when he delivers her mail. He thinks of the frequent thank you notes he gets from his and Tetsujo's neighbor who they sometimes shop for. He thinks of the regulars at the Hungry Bug…

He moves his mind away from the image of the burning restaurant.

If anything, the Hole isn't about the buildings and the sights and the activities but the people. He's happy to be around these people; people who treat him right and respectfully and even with care that he never thought he'd see again.

He supposes his friend group has changed and they aren't so much missing anymore but, rather, transformed. He mourns Saji and Ton and Ushishimada at his allotted time every week: buy his flowers, set them up in the clay vase that Tetsujo had gotten close to two years ago, and he lets himself watch the colorful petals in the low light of their kitchen and he remembers them. 

But instead of Saji he has Nikaido. Instead of Ton he has Risu. Instead of Ushishimada he has Vaux, Thirteen, Kasukabe, Ebisu, and Fujita.

And instead of Kai he has…

Dokuga shakes his head, removing the thought. 

He finds that they've walked into a park but… not like the typical sort of park he's seen. It's an industrial park, clearly a plot of land that was going to be developed into another skyscraper but had never gotten past the first step.

Ahead of him is a large quarry that's blocked off by a high standing fence with enough caution tape through the chainlinks that he figures it's probably best to stay away. He trails after Nikaido, watching as she diverts and hurries over to a stand that's settled under an arrangement of twisted metal, acting as an awning.

"Oh, you'll love this," she says as he makes his way to her side. She hands him a large pastry fish wrapped in wax paper and in her other hand is a small cup filled with ice cream.

"What's this?"

She smiles. "Do you know about _any_ food, Dokuga?"

He ignores her and instead takes a swig from his antidote and takes a daring bite into the pastry's head. He blinks in surprise, mouth full of an earthy sweet taste. The pastry is oily and subtle in flavor and inside he immediately knows: red bean paste!

"Oh… I think I've had this before…" He can feel a vague memory bubble up inside him and he squeezes his eyebrows together as he tries to drag the memory to the surface. He keeps chewing, taking the cup of ice cream and dipping it into it, taking another bite. He tries his hardest to get the memory to resurface until finally, it clicks!

Dokuga remembers standing in the kitchen of the man who had enslaved him. He wasn’t allowed in there and had snuck in late at night. He’d searched through the cabinets and pulled out a pastry in a bag. It's shaped like a fish and on the packaging it says "Taiyaki."

He remembers opening it as quietly as he can and taking a bite and feeling like it was the best thing he's ever had in his life. He chews and chews and chews until it's all gone.

"Taiyaki?" He asks and Nikaido nods.

He had stolen that pastry before the sorcerer had experimented on him enough to make him poisonous. It was a simpler time, he's sad to realize. A time when he wasn't aware he was being exploited and hurt. That's just how life is.

How life...was?

"Come over here!" Nikaido beckons him and they head towards the quarry. She kicks the fence, prying some of the chainlink off, before going through. He follows. She makes her way along the edge before taking a seat, dangling her feet over the sloped edge.

"What is this?" Dokuga sits with her, taking another bite of his dessert.

"They dug this out to make room for the support structure for the building they were gonna put up."

"It looks like it was gonna be big…"

"Yea," she sighs, "The people of the Hole try."

"Doesn't always work, huh?"

She shakes her head. "But hey, think of it like this. If the park wasn't like this, we wouldn't have such a good view of the fireworks later."

"Fireworks?"

"Yea, there's gonna be fireworks tonight! It's kinda why I wanted to get you to come out with me today."

"I thought you wanted me to see the value in the Hole." He smiles.

She slaps his arm. "Hush, you. This is a part of it, okay? Anyway, they're celebrating the two year anniversary of the sorcerer's control over the Hole being severed."

"You mean that thing that the Hole turned into."

"Yea, Holey."

He hums. "It doesn't seem like it's been that long… but a lot's changed, huh?"

Nikaido leans back. "I know, right?"

He hums again but doesn't say anything more. Behind him, he sees someone approaching, he turns to see Kaiman and Tetsujo in the distance, making their way along the fence. He bristles and sees Kaiman visibly tense but Tetsujo encourages him along.

Dokuga feels his stomach sink.

#### 2.

" **Tetsujo** ," Nikaido snaps her fingers.

He looks up, refocusing his eyes and he blinks, settling his eyes back onto her. He was spacing out again... thinking about his talk with Thirteen and the talk with Dokuga before that. He watches Nikaido, trying to parse what they had been doing, and he finds himself falling flat.

"Hey," he finally says, smiling weakly.

"Hey," Nikaido replies, smiling back. "Something on your mind?"

"Hmm… no?"

"Oh, okay, because we're supposed to be looking for a new location for the Hungry Bug and everything I've said to you in the past like, five minutes has gone without reply." She gives him a look, something between stern and concerned, and Tetsujo feels himself deflate.

"Oh, sorry," he looks at the newspapers spread across the table of his apartment and feels a long, drawn out string of dread grow taut in him.

"What's going on? You're not usually like this."

He rests his head in his palm and leans against the table, reaching out with the other to pull a highlighted page. He looks it over, noting the price of rent for the place circled in yellow, before he sets it back down.

This would be way too expensive for her.

"Where's Kaiman?" he elects to respond instead, not exactly wanting to deal with his love woes just yet. And, after all, this was more of an endeavor between those two than him and Nikaido. He was just a busboy and waiter, not a business partner. Kaiman was her best friend, not him.

Nikaido huffs, nabbing another newspaper sheet and scanning through. "He said he'd be late today because he has work," -- with Dokuga, Tetsujo's mind supplies-- "but he'll be here later."

He sighs, scanning his eye across the pages in front of him.

"Seriously, Tetsujo, what's wrong?"

He mumbles, "It's fine, really," but she pushes harder and suddenly he finds himself buckling under her steely eyes. "It's me and Thirteen…"

Nikaido’s eyes soften and she sets the papers down, recapping her highlighter. She crosses a leg and tilts her head, gearing up to listen. "What's wrong?"

"We just had a pretty hard talk, that's all. It's been weighing on my mind, sorry."

"Thirteen hasn't talked to me about anything like that?" She squeezes her eyebrows together. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Tetsujo didn’t even want to think about it but here he is, thinking about it. He doesn't know if he can say anything about it, but he wants to try. 

"Umm… maybe," he decides to say instead.

"Shoot."

He sighs, combing through his thoughts. His talk with Thirteen had ended with Thirteen feeling… understandably, a bit uneasy. Killing is normal in both their worlds, Tetsujo has known this all his life, but… it doesn't change the fact that he murdered hundreds of people in attempts to steal their magic.

He isn't proud and, in fact, it makes him sick some lonely nights… but it's the truth.

Tetsujo isn't sure if Thirteen wants to keep seeing a mass murderer like him.

He isn't even sure if he wants Thirteen anymore himself.

"You know about my past, don't you?"

She nods cautiously. "A little. I know about what the Cross-Eyes were doing around the time I was developing my powers, yes."

He runs a hand through his hair. "I told Thirteen about it…"

"You hadn't told him already?" she exclaims.

He winces. "No… I realized I haven't told him much of anything about myself."

"But you two have been dating for like, a year now…"

"Yea."

Nikaido squeezes her eyebrows together and looks at the table, concerned. "He didn't take it well, did he?"

"Not really, no. But he said we'd talk in a couple days."

"Are you worried?" she asks, reaching out and patting his hand comfortingly.

"Honestly? I'm not really sure…" He tries to work his next words out, washing them around his mouth, "I think I've been seeing him for the wrong reasons."

She doesn't say anything, she doesn't even move her hand. She just watches and waits.

He continues. "I'm… in love with Dokuga," he winces, the tension in his chest only coiling tighter with the truth out, "And I was hoping seeing someone else would help me get over it but I don't think it has."

She doesn't say anything but there's an intensity in her eyes that makes him worried.

"I feel really bad… I don't think I'm in love with him like I had wanted to be."

Nikaido pulls her hand away and sits upright in her chair, "Tetsujo, look."

He braces himself.

"That's an awful thing to do to him. You're both my friends, I care about you both… but that's such a shitty thing to put him through," she says, blunt and with a grave tone to her voice. She works her lips around before settling.

"I know!" He holds his head and sighs, "I know… I don't know what to do. I want both of them to be happy. And I know that with Dokuga… I know he'd be happier if I loved him enough to not want to be with him."

Tetsujo can feel tears in his eye but he pushes it back, grinding his teeth instead.

"And with Thirteen… I care about him, I do! I've never felt closer to him than I did when I was protecting him. But I don't know if I want to share my life with him… I might? If I give it more time?"

"Tetsujo… it's been a year already and you _just_ told him about your past… Is it really going to get better?" Nikaido gets up and steps over to his side, placing a hand on his shoulder.

He sighs. "Probably not, huh?"

She rubs his back. "Are you going to break up with him?"

He sighs once again. "I… should but I don't want to?"

"Why?"

"I don't want to hurt him."

"You are hurting him by being with him and not loving him! It's not fair to him, y'know… And from the sounds of it, you have a lot of work to do on yourself first." She leaves his side and sits down opposite him again, crossing her arms. She looks pissed but in a way that he feels isn't totally against him. She's upset at him, yes, but he thinks there's also a small part of her that really wants to support him despite it.

"I really fucked up, huh?" Tetsujo replies after a moment.

"A little, yea."

Tetsujo frowns. It's true, he realizes, that hurting him might be the thing that's needed for things to improve. He doesn't know if things will improve but… he thinks that maybe some time alone will do him some good.

"Okay… I'll break things off."

"Be gentle about it, okay?" Nikaido asks.

"I will, don't worry." Tetsujo slumps in his chair. "What am I going to do about Dokuga?"

She lifts her feet up and rests her head against her knees. "Does he know you like him?"

"Yea…"

She hums a sad and thoughtful sound, "So no dice?" 

He shakes his head.

"Do you want to hear the truth?" She asks after a pause. She looks unsure, watching him with wavering eyes.

Tetsujo feels his stomach sour but he nods. "Tell me."

"I don't think Dokuga will be interested anytime soon. Kaiman and him went drinking a little while ago and Kaiman told me they had a 'moment.'"

"A _moment_."

"A moment, yea."

His chest hurts and he sighs so heavily that it feels like his whole body is turning inside out. Of course it's Kaiman.

"So… they're going to get together?" It hurts to even speak. He wants to curl up and die.

"I'm… not sure, I'll be honest. Kaiman seemed uh, pretty upset about it."

Tetsujo doesn't comment. Instead he straightens his back and goes back to the newspapers at the table. "Let's keep looking for a location until Kaiman gets here."

"You sure..?"

"Yea, I need a distraction."

"Tetsujo, seriously. Are you sure?"

He sighs so heavily that it makes his eye water. He lets a tear slide out before he steels himself back up and looks at her. It must be a miserable look because she frowns so deep and sorrowfully that he regrets even bringing any of this up.

"I'll be okay, I promise."

"Look. I'm really sorry I brought it up." Nikaido's eyes plead with him, "But… It might be best you stay single for a while anyway, y'know?"

"Yea…" Tetsujo can't bring himself to feel it just yet, but he tries. He tries his hardest to believe that it's for the best and a small spark fills him. He'll be okay. He has to be okay.

"I can handle it."

#### 3.

**Nikaido** claps her hands together, drawing attention to the three other sorcerers and one human around her. The group stops talking and turns.

Noi smiles a wide, brilliant smile and she plants her fists onto her hips. Besides her is Yakumo, who is looking just as vibrant. Shin stands to the side, trying amicably to chat with Kaiman, but the tension is obvious. It's a little hard to forget the man who decapitated you.

Life's funny like that sometimes.

"Alright, let's get moving!" She claps again and turns to the moving truck parked across the street. It's a quiet time of the morning and the traffic is slow and the density of people even lower.

Kaiman grumbles as Noi and Yakumo hurry past him and set to work. The two women seem set on testing their strength against one another and Nikaido watches, amused, as they both deadlift several sets of boxes each and hurry them across the street.

Shin sighs at Noi before he joins them, hoisting her meat grinder up and walking it into the building.

The new Hungry Bug.

The restaurant is squat though the building itself is tall with her new apartment above and several others above that. The windows are tall and narrow, running along the front like bars. It has to be about two, maybe three, times larger than the old building and Nikaido can already see the things she wants to renovate and improve.

Kaiman stands by her side and crosses his arms. "This is a good location."

"I think so too."

"How did you get En's cleaners to come and help?" he asks and it seems light enough but she can still hear an edge to the question. What he means is: Why are they here?

"Noi contacted me."

"Noi."

"Yea, the woman with the white hair."

"The one who tried to kill us."

She jabs him in the ribs, "To be fair, we both tried to kill each other."

He concedes and they cross into the building. Kaiman whistles besides her, reaching his hand up and motioning at how much higher the ceiling is. "You can afford this?" he asks, and she shrugs at him casually.

In truth, it'll be a hard start, especially trying to get her old customers to come to this side of the city and lure in new ones. But Nikaido feels optimistic, the most she's felt in a long time.

"Are you excited?" he asks, stepping around Noi who is assembling some tables. Yakumo hurries out of the building before practically running back in with a stack of chairs in her hands.

Nikaido catches Shin waving her down and heads over to him, replying on her way, "I am!"

"We gotta keep on our toes."

She smiles at him. "You're paranoid."

Kaiman huffs, crossing his arms. He lifts his head away from her, his long snout held up high. "We can't lose this place too, that's all I'm sayin'."

Nikaido watches him for a moment before rubbing his arm comfortingly. "We won't lose this place too. Don't worry so much."

He pouts the best he can. "You're just saying that because you used to be a devil. I know their ways; you still have a bit in you, alright?"

She laughs. "Oh shut up, worry-wart."

"Mean!" he gasps and Shin waves for her again. "What does he want?"

"He's probably trying to help set up the kitchen. Kaiman, seriously, you gotta chill out." She rubs his arm again and he deflates. He mumbles an affirmative and they both stand by the door to the kitchen. As she steps inside she catches Kaiman circling the main counter and peering through the kitchen window.

"What's up?"

Shin motions towards the grinder. "Is this a good spot?"

"Yea, it's good, thank you!" Nikaido can tell he's just doing this because Noi is helping out but she appreciates it nonetheless. There's something charming about the two of them, even if it reminds her way too much of the richer side of the sorcerer's world.

Nikaido thinks that she could get used to them, though. Noi did really seem to want to become her friend and Nikaido thinks she'd like that. And with Noi came Shin and maybe even the two other little sorcerers, Fujita and Ebisu (though Nikaido isn't sure if either of them will forgive them for their trespasses against them.)

She's happy to welcome in the En family as long as En stayed far, far away from her. She doesn't think it'll be an issue but she knows that Tetsujo and Dokuga will have her back if the need were to ever arise and if you wanted a sorcerer dead, those two were second best to her and Kaiman.

Nikaido laughs to herself at the thought. Who would have figured.

Humans and sorcerers and devils all in her life like this. What a melting pot. Nikaido thinks that's maybe what she wants the Hungry Bug to become, a place for all sides of these crazy worlds to come and enjoy good food together.

She realizes in a flash that maybe that's how she'll advertise. 

The Hungry Bug: Welcome to All in the Hole, the Sorcerer World, and Hell.

She likes the ring of that. She's gonna need help for this to work out and she knows just the right women. 

Nikaido steps over to Noi and Yakumo and pulls them both in close. The three women laugh and she looks between them mischievously. Time to set things in motion.

#### 4.

**Kaiman** blocks, grunting at the pressure of Tetsujo's fist against his arm. He swipes his own arm out, pushing his fist away, and does a small leap back. He exhales hard, sweat beading on his chest and arms, and Kaiman looks at the man in front of him.

He's couched low, centering his gravity, and Tetsujo's hands are held into tight fists. His hands are wrapped tight in bandages while his large arms are bare. His feet are bare against the compact padding under them and Kaiman notes that his upper body is much stronger than his lower.

He can use that at his advantage.

Kaiman leaps forward and throws his fist into him. Tetsujo dodges and twists, grabbing at his shoulder. He twists all of his weight into throwing Kaiman to the floor but he spreads his legs, locking his knees, and stabilizes himself.

At that moment Kaiman wants nothing more than to grab Tetsujo and bite his head; for old times sake.

But there's no need for that now, and he actually quite likes him, all things considered, so Kaiman resists and instead ducks, flipping Tetsujo over his shoulder instead.

Tetsujo lands hard on his back and gasps, surprised. He lays there for a long moment, panting, before he smiles. "You got me," he finally says, slowly picking himself up.

Kaiman steps over and grabs his arm, helping to hoist him up. "You're pretty strong, you know that?"

Tetsujo chuckles, getting to his feet. "I could say the same about you. Without having to fight sorcerers anymore, I'm kinda surprised I'm still in shape."

It's his turn to laugh. "Right? It's harder to keep fit when I don't have people to kill."

"You're pretty fast for a guy your size," Tetsujo says, and goes over to the gym's bench to pick up his towel, swabbing at his face.

"And you're surprisingly good at getting out of holds." Kaiman joins him, sitting down and splashing water across his face. He takes his own towel and wipes down too, sitting in silence for a relaxed moment. He looks over at the other gym members, working their routines at their own pace, in their own world. He's missed exercising, and it was nice to do it with Tetsujo occasionally.

"We should do this more often," he adds, squirting water from his water bottle into his mouth. No lips made things a little complicated like that. "Without sorcerers coming around nearly as much, I can feel myself getting a gut."

At that, he pats his stomach which has obviously gotten soft over the months.

Tetsujo hesitates which sets Kaiman a little on edge but he finally smiles a genuine, wide smile and nods. "Yea, we should!"

He stands and Tetsujo joins him. "You know," Tetsujo starts, "Nikaido invited me to see fireworks with her, are you going too?"

Kaiman thinks, scratching along the back of his head. He sighs deeply as he scratches at a particularly sweet spot. "I didn't hear anything about a firework show," he shrugs, "I mean, if you two are going I might as well."

"Yea?" Tetsujo seems like he's guarding information but he was never particularly good at hiding things. Kaiman watches him carefully, nodding, and Tetsujo adds on, "Cool… Cool. You wanna head down now?"

"...Sure." He stares at Tetsujo suspiciously as he picks up his things and stuffs them into his bag. Tetsujo waits patiently as Kaiman does the same and they head out.

\---

Kaiman tenses as he sees Nikaido in the distance with Dokuga next to her.

It's already been a hard few weeks at work since their drunken fiasco and here he is. Kaiman has tried his hardest to avoid the shorter man while he's working things out in his head but... he's starting to think this was planned.

Tetsujo immediately books it and Kaiman snaps at him, "Wait!" but it's no use.

Nikaido hurries to him and pats him towards the spot next to Dokuga. He allows her to guide him but not without a struggle and he whines at her. 

"Nikaido," Kaiman hisses, appalled by the guilty smile she gives him, "You know I don't--"

"Oh, quiet," she slaps his chest and smiles brighter as they near Dokuga.

The poor man looks like a wet cat; uneasy and ready to strike at any slightest movement. He slumps in his jacket.

She seats him a decent distance from Dokuga and she sits down next to him, suspiciously not by Dokuga, Kaiman notes. 

"Hey!" She greets him as if she hadn't dragged his sorry ass over there herself.

"Hey." He's not amused, not in the least. He's nervous in fact, worse than he has in a long time. He hadn't meant to get so cuddly with Dokuga… it was true there was something inkling in him that felt like attraction but he thinks it's less him and more something lingering from Kai.

There's no way he's actually attracted to him.

"Hey," Dokuga also adds, which surprises the two of them. He looks sullen, finishing whatever food he had before, before he stands and goes to leave.

"Wait!" Nikaido calls and gets up. She catches him and steers him back to the spot, which he doesn't fight. He sits again, closer to Kaiman this time, and she sighs behind them both. "Seriously, I'm going to go get you both some taiyaki-- you're welcome-- and then I want you two to figure your shit out, alright? I'm sick of the weird tension between you two and you avoiding one another. The Hungry Bug has been open for a little while now and I'm tired of having Dokuga keep waiting outside like you guys didn't make any progress at all over these past couple years. You understand me?"

Silence.

"Yes ma'am," Dokuga finally replies and Kaiman whips his head around to look at him.

Kaiman hesitates before nodding. "Alright, alright, fine, Nikaido. But I ain't saying nothing until I have my taiyaki."

She sighs one final time before stepping away. "Fine, fine."

They sit in silence. Kaiman is set in his promise of not speaking until he gets his treat. Call him petty, but he never wanted to be there to begin with and he plans on getting something out of this ordeal. Even if that something is a fish shaped pastry filled with red bean paste.

He can see Dokuga in the corner of his eye and the way he quietly folds the wrapping paper his taiyaki was in. He looks fully now, watching the way his hair hangs in his face, the way his eyes focus so intently on his work. His face is totally still, no sign of fear or worry etched across his features.

He looks at Kaiman as well and the two of them watch each other.

The moment ticks by and Kaiman starts to wonder what's taking Nikaido so long.

Dokuga looks back down at his paper: folded into nothing in particular. He looks back and finally says, "You aren't going to say anything until you get your food, are you?"

Kaiman clams up and looks away. His lips are sealed.

Dokuga chuckles weakly in a sad sort of way before he says, "Well, I'm sorry."

Kaiman turns back and catches Dokuga shaking his head.

"I get it, I do. It was a bad idea." He looks down at the gaping hole that they sit on the edge of and he plants his hands on his knees. Kaiman follows the path of the crosses and looks him in the eyes. Dokuga looks up and they make eye contact again.

"The thing is…" Dokuga doesn't waver, his eyes firm, "I…" Hesitation, then a creeping blush.

Kaiman goes to speak, to cut him off, but Dokuga regains his confidence and marches forward.

"The thing is that I don't think it was a bad idea. If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine… but I liked it. And I guess it's more appropriate to say that I like you too. Quite a bit." He mumbles something he can't hear before he finally breaks eye contact and looks up at the darkening sky.

Kaiman doesn't know how to respond. He thinks that maybe he is attracted to him and the way his laugh sounds and the way his eyes look so sharp and clear at him. He thinks he might like the way he fights back, or that creeping blush he gets when embarrassed, or the way he thoughtfully listens to him when they used to talk at work. He's not sure.

He does know that making Dokuga laugh makes him feel good. He knows that drinking with him, skipping the tab, running and falling and holding him was nice. It made him feel good. He wonders if it'd still make him feel good.

But… he knows that history between them extends far past just him and Kaiman. It's him and Kaiman as enemies… him and the Cross-Eye's boss. Him and Kai's really fucked up relationship that makes Kaiman's skin crawl when he thinks about the sort of hell he put the man through.

He doesn't deserve that reminder. Kaiman starts to wonder if he thinks it's such a bad idea because Dokuga deserves better than him. Better than a man who can't kiss him because his head is like that.

But then he remembers Dokuga's limitations. His poison, his devotion to Kai, his mistrust. He doesn't even know if it'd be worth trying again.

Kaiman looks up at the sky too and sighs, long and low. "You're a good dude," he finally says, breaking his vow.

Dokuga doesn't look at him, even as Kaiman turns and moves closer. All he does is hum a tone, so low and soft that Kaiman can barely hear it, just a simple affirmation that he heard him.

"I've made a lot of mistakes," Kaiman admits, picking at some dirt on his pants. "I just don't think you'll like me if you knew me better."

He thinks for a moment Dokuga will argue that he does know him. He knew Kai, probably better than even Kaiman does. But instead he surprises Kaiman when he says, "Maybe. But I want to know you. I would like to give it a try, if you do."

Kaiman doesn't know how to respond.

"Do you want to know me?" Dokuga’s eyes are big and intense.

"Yea, I do." And it's the truth.

"Then don't decide for me how I should or shouldn't feel. If you don't want to try that's fine, I’ll accept that. But don't run away from me by pretending it's for my sake. I could say the same for you, after all. I'm a terrible person." His eyes darken. "I've done horrible things. I've made more mistakes than you, I think. I have a pretty restrictive condition," at that he touches his mouth, "But I feel like you of all people can get it. I feel like… maybe something good can come from… us."

Kaiman watches him; watches the serious line of his mouth, the serious edge to his eyes, the rosiness of his cheeks. Finally, he reaches over and offers his hand to him.

Dokuga hesitates, watching him cautiously, before he wraps his hand around Kaiman's. They sit for a moment, hands grasped tight into one another, before Kaiman relaxes and sets them down. Dokuga settles almost immediately after.

"What does this mean?" he asks.

"I'm not totally sure yet," Kaiman admits, "But… I'm willing to try."

"I want to try too," he nods, gently stroking the top of his hand. It makes Kaiman's skin tingle in a cold and sensitive sort of way. He isn't sure if it's good or bad just yet but it comforts him in a way.

Kaiman realizes that Nikaido isn't coming back with their sweets. He huffs, annoyed.

"She's not coming back, is she?"

"Nope."

Dokuga laughs, surprisingly light and airy. "Do you wanna get up and go get some?"

"Do you know where it is?" When Dokuga nods he immediately lets go of his hand and stands. He reaches down and helps Dokuga up, pulling him up close to him.

Dokuga looks up at him with an almost tender expression before he pulls away and waves for Kaiman to follow.

He hopes that they can get it and return before the fireworks start. There's a crowd starting to show up and he'd hate to lose their spot. Kaiman follows after Dokuga, who points at the taiyaki stand a small ways away, and he grins. 

There's a whistle and a pop behind them and he turns, watching as the first firework sizzles down from the sky. The people around them 'oo' and 'ahh' at it and he runs up to Dokuga, pulling him towards the stand. They need to hurry.

Dokuga smiles at him, a small and shy one, and he trails behind him, grasping tight to Kaiman's hand. Another firework sets off and then another. They shoot into the sky and bloom into large flowers of fiery color. Dokuga turns, hovering by the line of the booth and watches with wide eyes. He looks over at Kaiman, looking startled, before he quickly looks back at the fireworks.

"What was that look for?"

He wiggles his hand out from Kaiman’s and rubs the back of his neck. "It's silly."

"Okay, so tell me."

Dokuga looks at him, eyes big pools of emotion. "That sorcerer you recommended Tetsujo and I see... he read my fortune."

Kaiman perks up. "What did he say?"

"He said good things will come with fireworks." 

And Kaiman gets it. He smiles and Dokuga smiles back. He feels the lightest he's felt in a long time. He thinks that maybe things will be alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY! Welcome to the end of the fic! I wanted to give a big shoutout to my friend [Ros](https://twitter.com/puppetmotel) for betaing this for me! His input and support is what made this possible! Thank you for reading and I'd love to hear your thoughts!


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